Fresh Air

Best Of: ‘Hamnet’ star Jessie Buckley / Documentarian Morgan Neville

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Irish actor Jessie Buckley is nominated for an Oscar for her starring role as Shakespeare’s wife in ‘Hamnet.’ She talks about the film and how motherhood has changed her. “The thing this story offered me that brought me into this next chapter of my life as a mother was tenderness.”

Also, documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville tells us about his new documentary, ‘Man on the Run,’ which focuses on Paul McCartney’s life and music after the break-up of The Beatles.

John Powers reviews ‘Kokuho,’ a Japanese film about a gangster’s son who dreams of being a star in Kabuki theater.

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Remembering pop songwriter Neil Sedaka

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:06:11 +0000

Sedaka, who died last week at 86, wrote and recorded hits in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s – songs like “Calendar Girl” and “Breaking up is Hard to Do.” He was nine years old when he began studying piano at Juilliard. Sedaka told Terry Gross in 2007, “To the shock of my family, after studying at Juilliard I sold 40 million records in five years.” The British invasion derailed his career until years later when Elton John helped revive it, by signing Sedaka to his label.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album by The Paranoid Style, led by composer-singer Elizabeth Nelson. And Justin Chang reviews the new Pixar film, ‘Hoppers.’

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Delroy Lindo is claiming victory

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:37:36 +0000

Delroy Lindo is Oscar-nominated for his role as Delta Slim in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners.’ In a wide-ranging conversation with co-host Tonya Mosley, he talks about preparing for the role, growing up in the U.K. as the son of a Jamaican immigrant, and a special phone call from Spike Lee. He also shares what was going through his mind when he was onstage at the BAFTAs when a man shouted a racial slur.

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From Beatles break-up to John’s murder, a look at Paul’s transformation

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:26:16 +0000

Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville tells us about his new film, ‘Man on The Run.’It begins when the Beatles end, with Paul McCartney trying to figure out who he is as a musician and as a person— without John Lennon and the band that defined him since he was a teenager. Neville got access to previously unseen archival footage of McCartney with his young family and forming his new band, Wings. He spoke with Fresh Air contributor/producer Ann Marie Baldonado.

Also, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews an Art Blakey concert album, ‘Strasbourg 82.’

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A look at Trump's plans to restrict voting

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:44:14 +0000

President Trump is promoting tighter restrictions on mail-in ballots as well as passage of the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote. UCLA professor Richard Hasen unpacks the ramifications.

John Powers reviews the Oscar-nominated Japanese film ‘Kokuho.’

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Jessie Buckley loves the ‘shadowy bits’ of her characters

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:14:30 +0000

Jessie Buckley spoke with Terry Gross about her role as Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes, in ‘Hamnet,’ directed by Chloé Zhao. She’s nominated for an Oscar and already won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for her performance. The Irish actor talks about motherhood, the singing competition show she did in her teens, and the infamous crying scene in ‘Hamnet.’

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Best Of: Kate Hudson / Stellan Skarsgård

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:05:00 +0000

Kate Hudson is up for an Oscar for her role as Claire in the film ‘Song Sung Blue,’ starring opposite Hugh Jackman as one half of Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute band. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about pursuing singing late in her career. We also hear from Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard. He’s earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in the film ‘Sentimental Value.’ He’ll talk with Dave Davies about his many roles over the years -- from 'Dune' to 'Good Will Hunting,' and 'Mamma Mia!' and recovering from a stroke that impaired his ability to memorize lines.

David Bianculli reviews a new documentary about Paul McCartney in his decade after the Beatles.

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The voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:05:00 +0000

We take a trip to Bikini Bottom and revisit our interview with Tom Kenny, who plays SpongeBob on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon series, and in the new ‘Spongebob SquarePants’ film. Kenny’s been voicing the character since the show began in 1999. In 2004 he talked about creating the voice, including experimenting with inhaling helium.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews ‘Man on the Run,’ the new documentary about Sir Paul McCartney in the decade after the Beatles split up, and Justin Chang reviews the new erotic drama ‘Dreams,’ starring Jessica Chastain.

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Is the U.S. headed toward military conflict with Iran?

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:46:15 +0000

New York Times journalist David Sanger discusses how we got here, the state of Iran's nuclear weapons program, the likelihood of U.S. military force against Iran and if Trump's goal is regime change.

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Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t believe in bad guys

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:59:06 +0000

Aside from the evil Baron Harkonnen in ‘Dune,’ actor Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t really believe in bad guys. He looks for nuance in every role. He’s Oscar-nominated for his performance in ‘Sentimental Value,’ as a successful filmmaker who is estranged from his grown daughters. Skarsgård spoke with Dave Davies about improvising with Robin Williams in ‘Good Will Hunting,’ raising actor children, and how a stroke impacted his acting.

Also, critic Maureen Corrigan reviews ‘This is Not About Us,’ by Allegra Goodman.

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Tayari Jones on friendship, writing, and choosing your ‘Kin’

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:11:07 +0000

Eight years after her bestseller 'An American Marriage,' Tayari Jones has written a new novel, 'Kin,' set in the Jim Crow South. It follows two girls, Vernice and Annie, who grow up next door to each other without their mothers. That shared wound binds them and carries them through adulthood and across class lines. Jones says the idea for the book came from her own experience of losing a friend — and the particular kind of grief that the world doesn't always recognize. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about female friendship, growing up with civil rights activist parents, and the writing class that changed her life.'Kin' was just selected by Oprah’s Book Club.

Also, critic David Bianculli gives his take on the latest TV shows.

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Kate Hudson

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:11:55 +0000

Kate Hudson has had a hugely successful career as an actor and entrepreneur, but knew she'd always regret it if she didn't try her hand at music. Finally in 2024 she released her debut album, 'Glorious,' and got to share a whole other side of herself with the world. “I'm very happy with myself as a mother. Like I feel like I've made all the right mistakes and all the wrong mistakes,” she says. “But I couldn't say that about my art. And that would be my own personal sadness and regret, is that I didn't share my writings as a musician.” She spoke with co-host Tonya Mosley about taking the leap, her Oscar-nominated performance in 'Song Sung Blue,' and what she remembers from the set of 'Almost Famous.'

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Best Of: The life and legacy of Fela Kuti / Michael Pollan on consciousness

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Nigerian musician Fela Kuti used his music in the ‘70s as a weapon against colonial values and his country’s brutal dictatorship. The danceable music and political lyrics inspired a youth movement. Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad talks with Terry about his podcast series, ‘Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.’

Also, we hear from best-selling science journalist Michael Pollan. His new book ‘A World Appears’ asks how technology is changing our consciousness. “Consciousness is under siege,” he says. “I think that it’s the last frontier for these companies that want to sell our time and, of course, our time is our mind time.” Pollan also questions whether A.I. is capable of achieving consciousness.

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Remembering actor Robert Duvall & filmmaker Frederick Wiseman

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:35:50 +0000

The great actor Robert Duvall made his mark starring in epic movies and intimate dramas including ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Tender Mercies,’ ‘The Great Santini,’ and, of course, ‘Apocalypse Now.’ He died Sunday at age 95. We listen back to archival interviews from 1996 and 2010.

Also, the documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, whose approach was to choose a subject and capture it at great, revealing length, died Monday at age 96. His films include 'Titicut Follies,' 'Central Park,' 'Juvenile Court,' 'High School,' and 'Hospital.' He spoke with Terry Gross in 1986 about why he chose documentary as his medium.

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Michael Pollan’s journey to understand consciousness

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:21:28 +0000

Science journalist Michael Pollan has written extensively about the therapeutic benefits of mind-altering psychedelics. His new book, ‘A World Appears,’ asks, what is consciousness? “Consciousness has kind of become the secular substitute for the soul,” he tells Terry Gross. Pollan also talks about current studies on consciousness and whether plants and artificial intelligence have consciousness.

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A look at the ethical implications of AI

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:31:00 +0000

The AI chatbot Claude can help you write an email, challenge a hospital bill, or publish a novel. It was also reportedly used by the U.S. military in the operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Now the Pentagon is threatening to cut ties with Anthropic, the company that built it, because it insists on keeping restrictions around autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. Journalist Gideon Lewis-Kraus spent months inside Anthropic, one of the world's most secretive AI companies, for a new piece in ‘The New Yorker,’ where he asks: What happens when the people who built the machine can't fully explain what it's doing? He spoke with Tonya Mosley.

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A daughter's rebellion against a regime and her father

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:34:29 +0000

Photojournalist Loubna Mrie grew up in Syria in a wealthy and abusive home. Her father was part of the regime, allegedly an assassin for Bashar al-Assad’s father. Loubna joined the Syrian revolution first as a protester and then as a photojournalist. She talks with guest interviewer Aarti Shahani about how her family and country fell apart, and lessons she brought to her new home in the U.S.. Her book is ‘Defiance: A Memoir of Awakening, Rebellion, and Survival in Syria.’

Later, John Powers reviews ‘Crime 101,’ a thriller starring Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry.

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The American Presidency, Redefined

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:05:00 +0000

Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham talks with Dave Davies about Trump's impact on democracy. Meacham's latest book, ‘American Struggle,’ is a collection of speeches, letters and other original texts from 1619 to the present.

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Best Of: Mixed Marriage Project / How Racism Costs Everyone

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:10:00 +0000

Dorothy Roberts’ father was a white anthropologist who studied interracial marriages and her mother was a Black woman from Jamaica. She always assumed her parents' relationship inspired her father’s scholarly focus, but that changed after he died, and she found boxes of interviews he conducted with interracial couples, dating back to the 1930s, decades before he met her mother. Robert's memoir is ‘The Mixed Marriage Project.’

We also hear from historian Heather McGhee. Her book, ‘The Sum of Us,’ examines a question at the heart of American life: Why do so many Americans believe that progress for one group means loss for another?

Also, David Bianculli talks about some TV shows he’s been catching up on.

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‘Sinners’ Songwriter Raphael Saadiq

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:12:08 +0000

Singer, songwriter, and producer Raphael Saadiq is known for his work as a member of Tony! Toni! Toné!, as a solo artist, and for his work producing and writing for artists like Solange, D’Angelo, Beyoncé, John Legend, and more. “I Lied to You,” the song he co-wrote for the film ‘Sinners,’ has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. He spoke with Tonya Mosley.

Also, we remember jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski. His playing was influenced by classical techniques, swing and traditional jazz.

Justin Chang reviews Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights.’

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Fela Kuti and the music of political resistance

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:45:09 +0000

Considered the father of Afrobeat, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti used his music in the 1970s to combat colonial values and brutal dictatorship. Former Radiolab host Jad Abumrad tells his story in the podcast series, ‘Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.’ He spoke with Terry Gross.

Also, Fresh Air’s longtime executive producer Danny Miller is retiring. We close out the show with an appreciation and send-off from the staff.

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Excavating the Epstein files

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:55:18 +0000

British journalist Vicky Ward first profiled sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 for Vanity Fair. The experience was so alarming and stressful that she went into labor with her twins at 30 weeks, two months early. More than 20 years later, Ward, still following the case, talks with Tonya Mosley about the fallout from the millions of publicly released documents, and why this story took so long to come out.

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Love, Race & the ‘Mixed Marriage Project’

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:28:34 +0000

Almost a decade after her father's death, legal scholar Dorothy Roberts had to confront the 25 boxes of his research collecting dust in her office. Roberts' parents, a white anthropologist and a Black woman from Jamaica, spent years doing research on interracial marriage and intimacy in Chicago. Her new memoir, ‘The Mixed Marriage Project,’ draws from their records. She says the project permeated every corner of her upbringing, and now, as a scholar herself, she’s reflecting on her life and racial identity with a new lens.

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The Ruby Ridge siege & conspiracy-laced politics in America

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:14:03 +0000

We look back at the 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge in Idaho, where gunfire left two civilians and a deputy U.S. Marshal dead. Chris Jennings’ new book explores the apocalyptic religious beliefs that led Randy Weaver and his family to move to a remote cabin, armed to resist government intrusion. He traces the impact of Ruby Ridge on the spread of conspiratorial anti-government and white-supremacist movements. His book is ‘End of Days.’

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the memoir 'Dizzy,’ by Rachel Weaver.

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Best Of: Fighting for free press in Russia / ‘Fear and Fury’

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 05:05:00 +0000

Julia Loktev’s latest documentary, ‘My Undesirable Friends - Part 1: Last Air in Moscow,’ follows independent Russian journalists in the months leading up to, and just after, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The film has arrived in the U.S. at a moment when questions about press freedom feel newly present. “Every day it feels like there is something to bring the story home for Americans, where it almost feels like there’s Easter eggs in the film that become more and more relevant.” she says.

Also, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Heather Ann Thompson revisits a 1984 New York City subway shooting, when Bernhard Goetz, a white man, shot four Black teenagers. In the days that followed, Goetz became a hometown hero. “We are watching someone tell us exactly who they are, exactly what they did, and it will not matter. Up will become down, down will become up. And that also felt very, very familiar to where we are today.” Her book is ‘Fear and Fury.’

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A 50th anniversary celebration of ‘Taxi Driver’

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:41:42 +0000

Martin Scorsese's masterpiece about loneliness, urban decay, and vigilantism is 50 years old this month. We’re revisiting archival interviews about ‘Taxi Driver’ with Scorsese, screenwriter Paul Schrader and actors Harvey Keitel, Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, and Al Brooks.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Pillion.'

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Following independent journalists fighting for free press in Russia

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:42:49 +0000

Julia Loktev's acclaimed documentary, ‘My Undesirable Friends,’ follows young Russian journalists in the months before and after Putin's invasion of Ukraine — and the impossible choices they face when dissent means prison or exile.

Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead revisits a two-night set Miles Davis did in Chicago in 1965.

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Is America headed toward dictatorship?

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:51:33 +0000

Atlantic writer Robert Kagan says as President Trump violates norms, laws and the Constitution, including his call to nationalize elections, we’re on the edge of the consolidation of dictatorship. “I think we're already well into a dictatorship. It's just a question of whether [Trump] will go ahead and basically disrupt the '26 elections, which I think he's made it clear he has every intention of doing now,” Kagan tells Terry Gross. “So I think that this should be a five-alarm fire for everybody.”

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How Rupert Murdoch built an empire and broke his family

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:29:50 +0000

We go inside the real succession story within the Murdoch family media empire. It includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. In 2023 Rupert Murdoch chose his eldest son and most conservative child, Lachlan, as his successor – buying out three of his other children from the family trust and estranging them in the process. “His dream was to build a family business. And what he built was a business that destroyed his family,” journalist Gabriel Sherman says. His book, ‘Bonfire of the Murdochs,’ also examines how the Murdochs changed politics on three continents over half a century. He spoke with guest interviewer Sam Fragoso.

Later, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the return of ‘The Muppets.’

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Ethan Hawke

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:41:21 +0000

"Every now and then you bump up against a part that presses you to the wall of your ability," Hawke says of playing lyricist Lorenz Hart in ‘Blue Moon.’ He’s nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Hawke spoke with Terry Gross about collaborating with Richard Linklater, losing his friend River Phoenix, and his thoughts on aging.

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Best Of: Novelists Liz Moore & Julian Barnes

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 05:10:00 +0000

Liz Moore’s bestselling book, ‘Long Bright River,’ was set in a troubled Philadelphia neighborhood where she’d worked on a photo essay. “My own family has a long history of addiction. I was kind of emotionally drawn back to the neighborhood over and over again because of that,” she tells Dave Davies. The resulting thriller about a policewoman searching for her missing sister was made into a series on Peacock. Moore’s latest book, ‘The God of the Woods,’ where a child goes missing from a remote children’s camp, will be adapted to a Netflix series.

Also, we hear from one of England’s most acclaimed writers, Julian Barnes. He has a new book, which he says will be his last. It’s called ‘Departures.’ He spoke with Terry Gross.

Maureen Corrigan reviews George Saunders’ new novel, ‘Vigil.’

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Guillermo Del Toro would ‘rather die’ than use generative AI

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:58:00 +0000

When Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was a kid growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, he would draw monsters all day. His deeply Catholic grandmother even had him exorcised because of it. But when del Toro saw the 1931 film ‘Frankenstein,’ his life changed. "I realized I understood my faith or my dogmas better through Frankenstein than through Sunday mass." His adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic book is nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Del Toro spoke with Terry Gross about getting over his fear of death, the design of Frankenstein's creature, and his opinion on generative AI.

Also, John Powers reviews the noirish drama ‘Islands.’

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Former NBC producer on silence, shame and finding words after #MeToo

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:30:07 +0000

Brooke Nevils was a young NBC producer working the 2014 Sochi Olympics when, she says, ‘Today Show’ host Matt Lauer sexually assaulted her. Lauer has denied her account, calling their relationship consensual. Now, in her new memoir, ‘Unspeakable Things,’ Nevils doesn't just revisit what happened – she interrogates why it took years to understand it. She spoke with co-host Tonya Mosley.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews George Saunders’ new novel, ‘Vigil,’ and Ken Tucker reviews music from country artist Stephen Wilson Jr.

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Inside the U.S. reversal on climate change action

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:51:13 +0000

President Trump calls global warming "a hoax." As the U.S. faces more severe storms and extreme weather events, New York Times climate reporter David Gelles describes what this means for climate change policy and shares what global leaders were saying at Davos.

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How Tucker Carlson Became Right-Wing Media’s Most Significant Voice

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:02:39 +0000

‘New Yorker’ staff writer Jason Zengerle says after Tucker Carlson was let go from CNN and MSNBC, and joined Fox News, Trump’s 2016 presidential candidacy revived his career. “Those more prestigious Fox shows… they could not find camera-ready, intelligent human beings to go on their programs and make a sensible case for Donald Trump -- and Tucker was someone who could,” he tells Terry Gross. After Fox fired Carlson in 2023, he started his own streaming show and moved further to the right. Zengerle writes that Carlson’s story shows how conservative media has changed. His book is ‘Hated By All The Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.’

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The Rebirth Of White Rage

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:18:46 +0000

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Heather Ann Thompson talks about the 1984 New York City subway shooting, when Bernhard Goetz, a white man, shot four Black teenagers. "We are watching someone tell us exactly who they are, exactly what they did, and it will not matter. Up will become down, down will become up. And that also felt very, very familiar to where we are today," she tells Tonya Mosley. Thompson argues reactions to the Goetz case helped fuel a politics of racial resentment that reshaped criminal justice, national policy and media narratives. Her book is 'Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage.'

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Best Of: Writers Rachel Eliza Griffiths & Quiara Alegría Hudes

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 05:10:00 +0000

When writer Rachel Eliza Griffiths married Salman Rushdie in 2021, she expected her wedding day to be joyful. But the joy was invaded by tragedy, when she got the news her best friend had died. Eleven months later, Rushdie was stabbed and nearly killed onstage. Griffiths describes that year in her new memoir, ‘The Flower Bearers.'

Also, we hear from Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, writer of ‘In the Heights,’ ‘Water by the Spoonful,’ and the memoir ‘My Broken Language.’ Her new novel, ‘The White Hot,’ tells the story of a young mother who buys a one-way bus ticket and leaves her 10 year-old daughter behind.

Plus, film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘Sound of Falling,’ which is shortlisted for an Oscar for Best International Feature.

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A Mel Brooks Appreciation!

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:15:02 +0000

He’s the subject of a new two-part HBO documentary by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio called ‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ It looks at his origins in Brooklyn, his service in WWII, his EGOT-winning comedy career and lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner. We’re returning to our 1991 and 2001 interviews with Brooks. He told Terry Gross about why he loves mixing bad taste and high production value.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the Oscar-nominated German film ‘Sound of Falling.’

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Writer Quiara Alegría Hudes On ‘White Hot’ Rage

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:05:40 +0000

The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright has written a debut novel that asks a provocative question: What if a woman claimed the right to a spiritual quest like men have done for centuries in literature? 'The White Hot' follows a young mother from Philadelphia who walks away from everything to find herself. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her antihero April, her collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda on 'In The Heights,' and her mother’s spiritual gifts.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the mystery novel ‘Even the Dead,’ by John Banville.

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Are ICE Agents In Minneapolis Breaking The Law?

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:27:39 +0000

As protestors clash with some 3,000 federal immigration agents in the Twin Cities, we look at the legal issues with law professor Emmanuel Mauleón and Brennan Center for Justice's Elizabeth Goitein. "The principle that the military should not act as a domestic police force goes back centuries, all the way to the Magna Carta," Goitein says. "I think the reason for it is obvious: If a leader can turn the army inward against the people, that can be a very powerful instrument of tyranny and oppression."

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Poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths On Love, Tragedy & ‘Survivor Mode’

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 19:48:37 +0000

On the day Griffiths married author Salman Rushdie, her long time best friend died unexpectedly. Eleven months later, Rushdie was stabbed multiple times while being interviewed on stage. In her new memoir, ‘The Flower Bearers,’ Griffiths examines her grief, healing, and living with Dissociative Identity Disorder. She spoke with Terry Gross.

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How Racism Costs Everyone

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:05:00 +0000

Four years ago, Heather McGhee examined a question at the heart of American life: Why do so many Americans believe that progress for one group means loss for another? She traveled the country talking to factory workers, homeowners who'd lost everything, organizers, and scholars, trying to understand where that belief comes from, and what it costs us. This MLK Day, McGhee spoke with Tonya Mosley about this and how it comes on the heels of President Trump's comments that civil rights protections resulted in white people being “very badly treated.” McGhee’s book is ‘The Sum of Us.’

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Best Of: Jodie Foster / Tessa Thompson

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 05:05:01 +0000

Jodie Foster has been acting since she was 3. At 12 she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver.’ This year marks the 50th anniversary of that film. Foster spoke with Terry Gross about her early acting career, including getting mauled by a lion on set. Her new film is ‘A Private Life.’

Tessa Thompson stars in the new Netflix murder mystery limited series ‘His & Hers’ and in Nia DaCosta’s adaptation of Ibsen’s ‘Hedda.’ She spoke with Tonya Mosley about navigating her biracial identity and why she has both “yes” and “no” tattooed.

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Remembering Grateful Dead Founding Member Bob Weir

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:40:36 +0000

We remember Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, who died last week at 78. The guitarist spoke with Fresh Air Executive Producer Sam Briger in 2016 about working on a ranch, learning to ride, and getting to know cowboys. Also, we remember jazz singer Rebecca Kilgore, who was known for her interpretations of the Great American Songbook. She died at age 76. Kilgore often performed and recorded with pianist Dave Frishberg. We listen to excerpts of their in-studio concerts with Terry Gross.

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Novelist Julian Barnes Faces Mortality Without Fear

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:34:52 +0000

The Man Booker Prize-winning writer says his new book, ‘Departure(s),’ will be his last. He spoke with Terry Gross about blending genres, moving through grief after his wife died, and the fallibility of memory.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new series ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.’

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Marco Rubio’s Shift From Trump Critic To Champion

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:01:11 +0000

Marco Rubio once called Trump a "con artist." He’s now among his most loyal defenders. New Yorker staff writer Dexter Filkins describes Secretary of State Rubio's character, political transformation and ambition. Filkins also spoke with Tonya Mosley about Venezuela and what he thinks will happen next.

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Jodie Foster

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:30:22 +0000

Foster was just 12 years old when she starred in Scorsese’s 1976 film ‘Taxi Driver.’ "What luck to have been part of that, our golden age of cinema in the '70s," she says. She talks with Terry Gross about the 50th anniversary of that movie, getting mauled by a lion on a set, and why she kept her sexuality private for most of her career. Foster’s latest film, ‘Vie Privée’ (‘A Private Life’), is in French, which she speaks fluently.

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‘The God of the Woods’ Author Liz Moore

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:41:35 +0000

Moore says writing is mostly labor, but "2% of the time, usually at the very beginning of a book and the very end of a book, it feels like flying." She's also the author of ‘Long Bright River,’ which was adapted into a series on Peacock starring Amanda Seyfried. Her latest bestseller, ‘The God of the Woods’ centers on a missing girl at a summer camp in the Adirondacks. Moore spoke with contributor Dave Davies about her writing process and adapting her work for TV.

Also, John Powers reviews the thriller series ‘Hijack’ and ‘The Night Manager,’ both of which are returning for their second seasons.

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Best Of: Will Arnett / ‘Song Sung Blue’ Director Craig Brewer

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 06:05:00 +0000

Will Arnett stars in the new film ‘Is This Thing On?’ about a man going through a divorce, who finds himself onstage doing stand-up. He spoke with Terry Gross about trying out stand-up under a fake name, and his voiceover work.

Also, director Craig Brewer talks about his film, ‘Song Sung Blue.’ It’s based on the true story of a Milwaukee couple who became local legends performing as a Neil Diamond tribute band.

Plus, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the roadtrip novel ‘The Rest of Our Lives,’ by Benjamin Markovits.

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Neil Diamond / Noah Wyle On ‘The Pitt’

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:48:21 +0000

The new film ‘Song Sung Blue’ is about a Neil Diamond tribute band and stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Before Diamond began recording his own hits like “Solitary Man,” “Cherry, Cherry,” “America,” and “Sweet Caroline,” he wrote songs for other musicians, including The Monkees. Diamond spoke with Terry Gross in 2005.

Also, the hit HBO medical drama ‘The Pitt’ is back for season two. Noah Wyle plays the veteran attending physician in a Pittsburgh emergency room. The actor/producer spoke with Dave Davies about his tenure on ‘ER’ and putting scrubs back on for ‘The Pitt.’

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Tessa Thompson

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:52:14 +0000

Thompson is nominated for a Golden Globe for her starring role in ‘Hedda.’ She spoke with co-host Tonya Mosley about her collaboration with director Nia DaCosta, navigating her biracial identity, and why she almost quit acting before ‘Dear White People.’ She stars as a news anchor investigating a suspicious death in the new Netflix limited series ‘His & Hers.’

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The Growing Power & Influence Of White Supremacy In America

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:54:11 +0000

Journalist Eric Lichtblau says President Trump's incendiary rhetoric has stoked a "new age of hate." His book, ‘American Reich,’ centers on a murder committed by a young neo-Nazi in Orange County, Calif. He spoke with Dave Davies.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘Marty Supreme.’

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Marjorie Taylor Greene's Puzzling Political Turn, Explained

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:43:22 +0000

Once a fierce advocate for Trump and his MAGA base, Marjorie Taylor Greene has broken with the president and resigned from Congress. ‘New Yorker’ staff writer Charles Bethea discusses Greene's past — and what may lie ahead. He spoke with Fresh Air contributor Dave Davies.

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Investigating The Great Los Angeles Fires

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:02:13 +0000

MS NOW journalist (and Palisades native) Jacob Soboroff says covering the 2025 wildfires was the most important assignment he's ever undertaken. His new book, ‘Firestorm,’ offers a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about the systems that failed during the disaster and the effort to rebuild.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the roadtrip novel ‘The Rest of Our Lives,’ by Ben Markovits.

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Ben Stiller / Pedro Pascal

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 06:10:00 +0000

Ben Stiller talks about his new Apple TV+ documentary about his actor/comedian parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, they were famous as the comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. Ben talks about growing up in a showbiz family, where there was no separation between work and personal lives.

Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal has faced countless on-screen challenges, including cosmic battles and cartel kingpins. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about getting fired from restaurant jobs, his dance training, and his parents' exile from Chile.

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:05:00 +0000

The WWE superstar considered pursuing a career in mixed martial arts before realizing, "I don't like getting punched in the face." Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's ‘The Smashing Machine.’ He spoke with Terry Gross about his many injuries, his relationship with his late father, and his wrestling personas.

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Jeff Hiller’s Big Break Came In His 40s

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 18:05:00 +0000

Hiller spent years scraping by in Hollywood by taking on various small roles and commercials. Then he landed the role of Joel on HBO's ‘Somebody Somewhere’ and everything changed. His memoir is ‘Actress of a Certain Age.’

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Richard Kind Is Glad He’s Not Super Famous

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:05:00 +0000

Kind is the announcer and host sidekick on the Netflix show ‘Everybody's Live with John Mulaney.’ "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You must understand — it's anarchy," he says of the show. He spoke with Terry Gross about having ego but no confidence, working with Sondheim, and working in his father's jewelry store as a teen.

Jazz historian Kevin Whitehead has as remembrance of musicians we lost this year.

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Malala Finds Her Way

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:55:11 +0000

After surviving the Taliban's 2012 attempted assassination, activist Malala Yousafzai didn't back down. She continued to advocate for girls' education across the globe. In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize, an honor that weighed on her when she went off to college. In ‘Finding My Way,’ she writes about her life at Oxford and beyond. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about reliving childhood, PTSD, and her decision to get married.

Also, critic at large John Powers highlights some things he wish he had reviewed this year.

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Comic Cristela Alonzo

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:08:35 +0000

For the first seven years of her life, Cristela Alonzo lived in an abandoned diner in a South Texas border town. She spoke with Terry Gross about ICE raids, being mentored by labor activist Dolores Huerta, and the culture shock of having money after growing up so poor. Her recent Netflix stand-up special is called ‘Upper Classy.’

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Bluegrass Star Billy Strings / Laufey

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 12:05:00 +0000

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, ‘Live at the Legion,’ and he brought his guitar to our studio. He spoke with Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting.

Also, Icelandic jazz-pop star Laufey spoke with Terry Gross about her classical training in cello, breaking out online during COVID, and her first arena tour. Her recent album is ‘A Matter of Time.’

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Jane Fonda

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Early this year, Fonda made headlines for delivering a fiery critique of the Trump administration during a SAG-AFTRA award acceptance speech. "This is not the time to go inward," Fonda says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her career onscreen and off, as an activist.

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The Making Of ‘Born To Run’

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:01 +0000

Bruce Springsteen's groundbreaking album, ‘Born to Run,’ came out 50 years ago this year, marking a turning point for rock and roll — and for "The Boss." Before he made that record, Springsteen's label, Columbia, was on the verge of dropping him because his first two albums, though critically acclaimed, had sold poorly. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin describes the creation of ‘Born to Run’ as an "existential moment" for Springsteen. His book is ‘Tonight in Jungleland.’

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‘Morrie’ Writer Mitch Albom On Second Chances

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:05:00 +0000

Albom's 2025 novel, ‘Twice,’ asks a question most of us have daydreamed about: what if you could go back and relive any moment of your life? In the book, a man is born with that exact power, but every second chance comes with a cost. Albom talks with Tonya Mosley about his new book, and the lasting influence of Morrie Schwartz, his old college professor who died in 1995 of ALS. Nearly 30 years ago, Albom chronicled their weekly visits in his bestselling book ‘Tuesdays With Morrie.’

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Will Arnett

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:15:18 +0000

Arnett stars in Bradley Cooper’s new film, ‘Is This Thing On?’ as a man who turns to the New York comedy scene as he grapples with his divorce. The ‘SmartLess’ podcast co-host talked with Terry Gross about voicework, how ‘Arrested Development’ changed his life, and being a troublemaker in school.

Also, critic David Bianculli shares his picks for best TV of 2025.

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Dir. Craig Brewer Is Chasing ‘Purple Rain’ Magic

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:28:11 +0000

Director Craig Brewer has made a career of telling stories about dreamers and misfits chasing something bigger than themselves, from ‘Hustle & Flow’ to ‘Dolemite Is My Name.’ Now he's back with ‘Song Sung Blue,’ a film based on the true story of a Milwaukee couple who became local legends performing as a Neil Diamond tribute band. He spoke with Tonya Mosley.

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The Stories Behind Your Favorite Christmas Songs

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:00:01 +0000

To celebrate the holidays, we’re looking back at four archive Fresh Air interviews discussing popular Christmas songs: First, jazz singer Mel Torme tells Terry Gross about co-writing “The Christmas Song” on a hot summer day, in an interview from 1977. Then we hear from songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1989 about making “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and then Martin drops in again in 2006 to discuss the song’s long impact. Finally, musician Jon Batiste sits at the piano with Terry in 2024 to play some other favorite holiday tunes live.

Listen to an episode of NPR's All Songs Considered podcast on the origin and impact of “The Christmas Song.”

Listen to 40+ years of Fresh Air's archives at FreshAirArchive.org. To access bonus episodes, sponsor-free listening and to support public radio, become a Fresh Air+ supporter at plus.npr.org/freshair.

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Best Of: Lucy Liu / Zadie Smith

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Lucy Liu joins Tonya Mosley to talk about her new film ‘Rosemead,’ where she stars as a terminally ill woman grappling with her teenage son’s escalating mental health crisis and the impossible choices she faces to protect him. It’s based on a true story.

Also, writer Zadie Smith talks with Terry Gross about her new collection of essays, ‘Dead and Alive.’ She reflects on aging and generational discourse.

Film critic Justin Chang shares his list of the best films of the year.

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John Le Carré’s Son Revives His Late Dad's Spy

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:09:46 +0000

Writer Nick Harkaway grew up hearing his dad read drafts of his George Smiley novels. He picks up le Carré's beloved spymaster character in the novel ‘Karla's Choice,’ now out in paperback. He spoke with Sam Briger about choosing his own pen name, channeling his dad's writing style, and his stint writing copy for a lingerie catalogue.

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Lucy Liu

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:04:13 +0000

The child of Chinese immigrants, Liu grew up in Queens where she spoke Mandarin at home and didn't learn English until she was 5. She returns to the language in her new film, ‘Rosemead.’ It’s about a terminally ill mother grappling with her teenage son’s escalating mental health crisis and the impossible choices she faces to help him. Liu spoke with Tonya Mosley about rejection, representation, and the first time she heard her name in OutKast’s hit “Hey Ya.”

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A Revealing Profile Of Trump Chief Of Staff Susie Wiles

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:45:57 +0000

'Vanity Fair' writer Chris Whipple interviewed Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles 11 times, getting her view on cabinet members, Trump's revenge tour, Venezuela policy, and why she says Trump has an "alcoholic's personality."

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Remembering Rob Reiner

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:55:11 +0000

The great filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were killed in their home Sunday. Their son Nick has been arrested on suspicion of murder. It’s a shocking and tragic end to a life that brought joy to so many. Reiner’s contributions to American film include canonical movies such as ‘The Princess Bride,’ ‘Stand By Me,’ ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ He spoke with Terry Gross this past September about his reunion with the ‘Spinal Tap’ guys, growing up among comedy legends, and collaborating with his son Nick on a film inspired by Nick’s struggle with addiction.

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Zadie Smith Asks, What Makes Us Feel Alive?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:00:14 +0000

Zadie Smith returns to talk with Terry Gross about her new collection of essays, 'Dead and Alive.' She reflects on the "nonsense" of generational discourse, being raised by TV, and her obsession with time.

Also, Martin Johnson has an appreciation of drummer and composer Jack deJohnette, who died in October.

Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for gems from the Fresh Air archive, staff recommendations, and a peek behind the scenes.

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Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Seehorn

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 06:05:00 +0000

Michael Shannon understands he’s associated with some intense, menacing characters he’s played, like Agent Nelson Van Alden in ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ “I’m a big fella, and I got this giant head, and it’s not too difficult for me to seem intimidating I suppose, but it couldn’t be further from what I’m actually like,” he tells Dave Davies. In two new projects, though, Shannon plays good guys. He’s President James Garfield in the new series ‘Death by Lightning’ and he’s a prosecutor trying Nazi leaders for war crimes in the new film ‘Nuremberg.’

Also, we hear from Rhea Seehorn, star of Apple TV’s ‘Pluribus.’ The series has a sci-fi premise, but the themes of the show are more existential. Like, what is happiness? What is the importance of individuality? She spoke with Terry Gross.

Maureen Corrigan shares her list of the best books of the year.

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Remembering Architect Frank Gehry

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:39:37 +0000

Frank Gehry, whose steel and titanium curved structures seemed more like sculptures than buildings, died last week at age 96. His masterpiece was the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2004 about finding his design voice.

Also, we remember Raul Malo, the lead singer and songwriter of The Mavericks, the country band with rock and roll roots.

Justin Chang reviews ‘Wake Up Dead Man,’ the newest ‘Knives Out’ mystery movie starring Daniel Craig.

A Courtside Look At NBA Legends, From Jordan To Kobe

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:17:42 +0000

Legendary NBA head coach Phil Jackson and sports journalist Sam Smith talk about the stars who helped define the sport, including Jordan, Kobe, and Shaq. They spoke with Tonya Mosley about their new book, 'Masters of the Game.'

Also, Justin Chang shares his picks for the 10 best films of 2025.

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Can The Lessons Of 1929 Prevent Another Crash?

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:25:09 +0000

New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, a student of past financial calamities, talks about the likelihood the U.S. economy could be headed toward another crisis. He says there are concerns about the impact of AI, crypto currencies and shadowy investment firms operating outside the regulated banking system. How the nation fares, he says, depends much on the judgement, and perhaps financial interests of Donald Trump. “The entire business world now runs through one address – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – and to some degree through the prism of the whim of one individual,” Sorkin says. His new book, 1929, is about the financial panic that led to the Great Depression.

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Star Of ‘Pluribus’ Rhea Seehorn

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 19:34:20 +0000

The new Apple TV+ series was created by Vince Gilligan, who also created ‘Breaking Bad’ and co-created ‘Better Call Saul.’ He liked her work in ‘Saul’ so much, he wrote the lead in ‘Pluribus’ for her. The story has a sci-fi premise, but the themes of the show are more existential – like what is happiness? What is the importance of individuality? Seehorn spoke with Terry Gross about the show, her secretive father who worked in counter intelligence, and her memories of Bob Odenkirk’s nearly fatal heart attack on set.

Also, critic Ken Tucker shares Christmas music from Brad Paisley, Mickey Guyton, Leon Bridges, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

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Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 19:18:57 +0000

In New York City, 100,000 people sleep in shelters every night. Patrick Markee has spent decades fighting for them with the Coalition for the Homeless. He’s written a new book that gives an on-the-ground view of what he’s learned. It’s called ‘Placeless: Homelessness in the New Gilded Age.’ He asks, what if homelessness isn't a personal failing, but the result of policy choices?

Also, Maureen Corrigan shares her picks for the 10 best books of the year. You can see her list here.

Best Of: George Clooney / Costume Designer Paul Tazewell

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 06:05:00 +0000

George Clooney stars in ‘Jay Kelly’ as a famous actor at a crossroads. He talks about his own relationship to fame and what drew him to the role. Also, Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell talks about his road to ‘Wicked.’ He’s spent more than three decades shaping looks for the stage and screen.

And rock critic Ken Tucker has a round up of some of this year’s new Christmas songs.

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Remembering Steve Cropper / Playwright Tom Stoppard

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:02:05 +0000

We remember guitarist, songwriter, and producer Steve Cropper, who helped create the Memphis soul sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s. He died this week at age 84. Stax Records produced soul hits by Booker T. & the M.G.s, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, and more. Cropper spoke with Terry Gross in 1990 about how he became part of the house rhythm section, and went on to help write hits for Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett.

Also, we remember the celebrated English playwright Tom Stoppard, who was considered a giant of theatre. He died at age 88. Stoppard wrote ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ and ‘The Real Thing,’ and the screenplays for ‘Empire of the Sun’ and ‘Shakespeare in Love.’

Jazz historian Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to jazz organist Jimmy Smith, and John Powers reviews the new Brazilian film ‘The Secret Agent.'

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George Clooney

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:18:17 +0000

Clooney stars as an aging movie star who has neglected his family life in favor of his career in Noah Baumbach’s new film ‘Jay Kelly. ' He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his own journey with fame, his Broadway rendition of “Good Night, and Good Luck,” and his op-ed calling for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

Was The U.S. Attack On A Venezuelan Boat A War Crime?

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:50:15 +0000

Washington Post reporter Alex Horton talks about the Sept. 2 US military strike on a boat with alleged "narco terrorists," in which a second strike was ordered to kill two survivors in the water.

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War Photographer Lynsey Addario Still Has Hope

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:51:39 +0000

For 25 years, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario has covered conflicts and humanitarian crises across the globe, from Sudan to Syria. She’s been kidnapped twice, thrown from a car, and shelled in war zones more times than she can count. A new Nat Geo/Disney+ documentary called 'Love+War' follows Addario as she is torn in two directions – her all-consuming reporting in Ukraine and her life at home as a wife and mother of two young kids. Addario spoke with Fresh Air contributor, host of Talk Easy, Sam Fragoso.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Some Bright Nowhere,' by Ann Packer.

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‘Wicked’ Costume Designer Paul Tazewell

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 20:47:34 +0000

Tazewell made history as the first Black man to win the Oscar for costume design for the first installment of Wicked. He talks with Tonya Mosley about Wicked: For Good, the movies that inspired him, and learning to sew as a child. “I made the decision that I would devote myself to costume design and live vicariously through other characters,” he says. “Where I might not be cast in certain roles because of how I looked, as a designer, I could be anyone.

Best Of: Nutritionist Marion Nestle / Science Writer Mary Roach

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 06:10:00 +0000

Food policy expert and nutritionist Marion Nestle's 2006 book, ‘What to Eat,’ became a consumer bible of sorts when it came out, guiding readers through the supermarket while exposing how industry marketing and policy steer our food choices. Now, two decades later, she's back with ‘What to Eat Now,’ a revised field guide for the supermarket of 2025.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the new film Hamnet.

Science writer Mary Roach’s latest book, ‘Replaceable You,’ is about innovations in transplant medicine thanks to promising research and breakthroughs. She tells us about organs transplanted from pigs and attempts to replace bald spots on the scalp with hair from other parts of our bodies.

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Grand Ole Opry At 100: Earl Scruggs & Loretta Lynn

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 17:05:00 +0000

We mark the 100th anniversary of The Grand Ole Opry, country music’s biggest stage, and feature interviews with two of its members. First up, bluegrass banjo player Earl Scruggs. He and guitarist Lester Flatt had a hit with “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” Scruggs told Terry Gross how he developed his famous three-finger picking style while absent-mindedly playing the banjo one day. Also, we listen back to Terry’s interview with country music star, “Honky Tonk Girl” Loretta Lynn.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews a new documentary about Russia's crackdown on independent journalists. It’s called ‘My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow.’

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‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ From Flop To Hit

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:00:00 +0000

A filmed version of the live Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ will open in theaters on Dec. 5. We listen back to a 2024 interview with revival director Maria Friedman and actor Jonathan Groff.

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Michael Shannon Gets A Turn Playing Good Guys

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 19:37:49 +0000

Shannon's known for playing intense, menacing characters, like Agent Nelson Van Alden in ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ In two new projects, though, he plays good guys – historical figures pursuing justice and political reform. He’s President James Garfield in the new Netflix series ‘Death by Lightning.’ And he’s a prosecutor trying Nazi leaders for war crimes in the new film ‘Nuremberg.’ Shannon spoke with Dave Davies.

Also, David Bianculli reviews a revived and expanded TV documentary series about the Beatles.Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for gems from the Fresh Air archive, staff recommendations, and a peek behind the scenes.

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A Manual For Keeping A Democracy

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:59:36 +0000

MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) legal analyst and former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance discusses recent impactful decisions by courts and the Justice Department, and how her son helped her understand Gen Z’s view of defending democracy. Her new book is ‘Giving Up is Unforgivable.’

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Brendan Fraser Has Everything & Nothing To Prove

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:11:20 +0000

In his new film, 'Rental Family,' Brendan Fraser plays an actor in Tokyo who takes a job with a rental family service. It's based on a real phenomenon in Japan: companies where you can hire someone to fill a gap in your life. Fraser spoke with Tonya Mosley about shooting in Japan, working with Scorsese on ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ and his struggle with confidence.

Also, Ken Tucker shares three songs dominating the charts: Neko Case's "Oh, Neglect...," Valerie June's "Runnin' and Searchin'" and Olivia Dean's "Man I Need"

Best Of: Ben Stiller / Cynthia Erivo

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 06:05:00 +0000

Also, we hear from Cynthia Erivo. She stars in ‘Wicked: For Good,’ reprising her role as Elphaba.

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A Look Back At Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:54:19 +0000

Sixty-five years ago, Alfred Hitchcock shocked audiences with his film ‘Psycho.’ It broke Hollywood conventions about what a film should and should not do, ushered in a new era of horror/thriller, and became one of the most studied movies in cinema history. We listen back to Terry’s interview with star Janet Leigh, who talks about filming the famous shower scene. And we hear from screenwriter Evan Hunter about working with Hitchcock on his next film, ‘The Birds.’

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new film ‘Hamnet,’ about Shakespeare as a young playwright, husband and father.

A Sleep Scientist Excavates The World Of Dreams

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:17:57 +0000

Michelle Carr has spent years researching what goes on in the brain while we dream. She explains dream engineering, including how sensory inputs like light, sound and vibration can influence the subconscious. Her book is ‘Nightmare Obscura.’

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new season of ‘A Man on the Inside.’
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How Kash Patel Is Changing The FBI’s Mission

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 19:22:39 +0000

‘New Yorker’ staff writer Marc Fisher says Kash Patel became FBI director without senior law enforcement experience because of his loyalty to Trump and willingness to seek retribution for his perceived enemies. “There are some ways in which many FBI agents like the fact that Patel has steered the agency back towards what they see as basic crime fighting,” Fisher says. “But the overwhelming sentiment, I think, is that he has more than shaken up the Bureau—he has gutted it.”

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Ben Stiller On His Parents’ Showbiz Marriage

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 19:19:43 +0000

After the deaths of his parents, comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben found a stash of their audio recordings. Those tapes are at the center of a new documentary, ‘Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost.’ He spoke with Terry Gross about growing up in the spotlight, his father’s life-changing role on ‘Seinfeld,’ and the connection between his family life and ‘Severance.’
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Cynthia Erivo's Road To 'Wicked'

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:53:19 +0000

Erivo speaks with Tonya Mosley about the parallels between her life and the experience of her ‘Wicked’ character, Elphaba. She also talks about singing as a child, using perfume to get into character, and why she shaved her head. Erivo's new memoir is called ‘Simply More: A Book for Anyone who Has Been Told They're Too Much.’

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Best Of: Ethan Hawke / Tim Robbins

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 18:10:00 +0000

Ethan Hawke stars in the new movie ‘Blue Moon,’ about lyricist Lorenz Hart, half of the Broadway duo Rodgers and Hart. It’s his ninth collaboration with director Richard Linklater. He’s also in the new noir-inspired streaming series ‘The Lowdown.’ He tells Terry Gross while playing Hart pushed him to the edge of his ability, he totally related to his character in ‘The Lowdown.’

Also, we hear from actor and director Tim Robbins. He reflects on 30 years of making films and why he believes live theater can sometimes speak to us in more profound ways than film can. He spoke with Tonya Mosley.

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The High Pressure Experiments That Made D-Day

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:54:11 +0000

What happens to the body in the deep sea? You need oxygen to survive, but too much oxygen can be deadly. If you rise to the surface too quickly, nitrogen bubbles can form in your body and kill you. Terry Gross spoke with author and scientist Rachel Lance last year about her research for the military. She used a hyperbaric chamber that mimics what divers and submarines are exposed to. Her book, ‘Chamber Divers,’ is about the scientists whose dangerous experiments about underwater pressure and injury were critical to the success of D-Day.

Also, Justin Chang reviews ‘Sirat,’ which he calls one of the most gripping movies of the year.
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Ethan Hawke On The Role That Pushed Him To His Limit

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:22:40 +0000

"Every now and then you bump up against a part that presses you to the wall of your ability," Hawke says of playing lyricist Lorenz Hart in ‘Blue Moon.’ Hawke spoke with Terry Gross about collaborating with Richard Linklater, 'The Lowdown,' and his thoughts on aging.

Who Is Laura Loomer, Trump's 'Loyalty Enforcer'?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:43:38 +0000

'New Yorker’ staff writer Antonia Hitchens describes how Laura Loomer went from a conspiracy theorist to a close ally of Trump who’s gotten government officials she claims are disloyal to the president fired. Hitchens has a new profile of Loomer in the magazine.

Also, David Bianculli reviews Ken Burns’ new six-part PBS docuseries on the American Revolution.

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Nutrition, SNAP & Why We Need A Food Revolution

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 20:07:53 +0000

Food policy expert and nutritionist Marion Nestle's 2006 book, ‘What to Eat,’ became a consumer bible of sorts when it came out, guiding readers through the supermarket while exposing how industry marketing and policy steer our food choices. Now, two decades later, she's back with ‘What to Eat Now,’ a revised field guide for the supermarket of 2025.

Also, Justin Chang reviews Joachim Trier’s new film, Sentimental Value.’

Tim Robbins Believes In The Power Of Theater

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:17:55 +0000

The Oscar-winning actor/director has a new play, “Topsy Turvy,” about a chorus that loses its ability to sing together after COVID isolation."Things that I had held sacred or had held as truths were challenged," Robbins says of the pandemic. He talks with Tonya Mosley about ‘Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘Dead Man Walking,’ and how working with Robert Altman changed the trajectory of his career.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new Netflix miniseries, ‘Death by Lightning.’

Best Of: Judd Apatow / Misty Copeland

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 06:10:00 +0000

Before he was directing box office hits or launching the careers of comedy superstars, Judd Apatow was a kid writing fan letters to his heroes, collecting autographs, and obsessively documenting everything. He’s now opened his personal archive for a new book of photographs, letters, scripts, and journals that shaped movies like ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin,’ ‘Knocked Up,’ and ‘Trainwreck.’

Also, we hear from Misty Copeland, who captivated audiences as the first Black woman to become a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. She also performed with Prince, who helped change her perception of herself. “He was my biggest supporter. He showed what it was the be one of a kind, to be unique and to use that as a power.”

Ken Tucker celebrates 50 years of Patti Smith’s album ‘Horses.’

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Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’ Turns 50

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:14:59 +0000

50 years ago next week, Patti Smith released her debut album, ‘Horses,’ ushering in a new era of rock and roll. We’re listening back to portions of our interviews with Smith, from 1996 and 2010. She talks about her early days in New York City, when she was trying to find her way as a poet, performer and later songwriter. When it came to ‘Horses,’ she says, “I thought I would do this record and then go back to my writing and my drawing and return to my somewhat abnormal normal life. But ‘Horses’ took me on a whole different path.” And Ken Tucker reviews the new anniversary edition of the album.

Also, we remember actress Diane Ladd in an excerpt of an interview with her daughter, Laura Dern. And David Bianculli reviews ‘Pluribus,’ the new series from ‘Breaking Bad’ creator Vince Gilligan.

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Trump's Options To Subvert The 2026 Midterms

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:34:05 +0000

'Atlantic' journalist David Graham describes how President Trump could potentially use troops near polling places, pressure local election workers and have federal agents seize voting machines.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Patti Smith’s ‘Bread of Angels,’ a prequel/sequel to ‘Just Kids.’

Misty Copeland Begins A New Chapter

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 19:15:04 +0000

Copeland says her final performance with American Ballet Theatre was a thank you to the communities that had supported her. "What I represented is something far bigger than me," she says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her final bow, her relationship to pain, and the legacy of Black ballet dancers.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new Peacock thriller series ‘All Her Fault,’ starring Sarah Snook.

The Undoing Of The Department Of Justice

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:41:25 +0000

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis talk about why the U.S. Justice Department’s cases against Donald Trump for alleged interference in the 2020 election and his retention of government documents never made it before a jury. They find both FBI officials and government prosecutors were at times reluctant to pursue leads out of concern for preserving the department’s commitment to fairness and independence from politics. Leonnig and Davis also detail many cases of Trump as president pressuring the DOJ to protect his friends and punish his perceived enemies. Their book is ‘Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America’s Justice Department.’ They spoke with Fresh Air’s Dave Davies.

Richard Linklater: 'Filmmaking Is Problem Solving'

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:53:58 +0000

Filmmaker Richard Linklater doesn't speak French, but that didn't stop him from directing a movie that's almost entirely in French. ‘Nouvelle Vague’ focuses on the beginning of the New Wave of cinema, specifically Jean-Luc Godard and his landmark 1960 movie ‘Breathless.’ "I know that sounds insane," Linklater says, "but me not having the language wasn't even in my top 10 concerns about if I could pull off the movie." Linklater spoke with Terry Gross about the impact of the French New Wave, and his other new film, ‘Blue Moon.’ It’s about Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, the former creative partner of Richard Rodgers.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the novel Heart the Lover by Lily King.

Best Of: Guillermo Del Toro / Cameron Crowe

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 05:05:00 +0000

The great filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro has a new adaptation of Frankenstein. He saw the 1931 film when he was 7. “I realized I understood my faith better through Frankenstein than through Sunday Mass,” he tells Terry Gross. “And I decided at age seven that the creature of Frankenstein was gonna be my personal avatar and my personal messiah.” His other films include Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water.

Also, we hear from Cameron Crowe, who wrote and directed Jerry Maguire, Say Anything and the semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous, about writing for Rolling Stone starting at age 15. His new memoir is about being a naive teen, exposed to the excesses of rock musicians.

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The Making Of ‘Young Frankenstein’

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:58:51 +0000

Mel Brooks’s classic 1974 movie Young Frankenstein parodies the iconic Frankenstein movies of the 1930s. This Halloween, we’re featuring our interviews with director Mel Brooks and stars Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr and Cloris Leachman.

And film critic Justin Chang reviews the new film Bugonia.

The ‘Shadow President’ Dismantling The Government

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:54:28 +0000

In a New Yorker article co-published with ProPublica, reporter Andy Kroll describes Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, as a "shadow president" with oversized influence. “I don't think you can take in the full sweep of what this administration has done in less than a year and not come away with thinking that chaos is a goal, and certainly an outcome that serves Vought and his team’s larger agenda of putting cracks in the federal government, shaking the stability of this typically rock-solid steady institution that is the federal bureaucracy,” Kroll says.

Filmmaker Nia DaCosta Defies Categorization

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:25:43 +0000

DaCosta directed the box office hit horror movie Candyman and The Marvels. Her latest, Hedda, is an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 1891 play, Hedda Gabler. She reimagines the main character as a queer, mixed-race Black woman, played by Tessa Thompson. DaCosta spoke with Tonya Mosley about navigating white spaces in Hollywood, why she loves horror, and her time as a production assistant.

Also, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews bassist Linda May Han Oh’s album Strange Heavens.

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Judd Apatow Unpacks His Comedy Memorabilia

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:30:35 +0000

Long before Judd Apatow was directing box office hits or launching the careers of comedy superstars, he was a fan. As a kid he wrote letters to his heroes, collected autographs, and obsessively documented everything. He’s now opened up his personal archive: decades of photographs, letters, scripts, and journals for a new book that reveals how his childhood inspirations led to the creation of works like '40-Year-Old Virgin,' 'Knocked Up,' and 'Trainwreck.' It’s called 'Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures.'

Also, John Powers reviews the new museum heist film 'The Mastermind,' starring Josh O’Connor.

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For Cameron Crowe, Being 'Uncool' Is A Badge Of Honor

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:00:16 +0000

The filmmaker's new memoir, 'The Uncool,' is about his teen years in the '70s as a rock journalist for 'Rolling Stone.' His unconventional story was dramatized in the 2000 movie 'Almost Famous.' Crowe spoke with Terry Gross about getting access to rockstars before he could drink, being mentored by Lester Bangs, and his interviews with David Bowie.
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Also, David Bianculli reviews the new season of 'The Diplomat.'

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Best Of: Malala Yousafzai / Ken Burns On The Revolutionary War

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

We know Malala as the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, the girl who survived a Taliban bullet at 15 for advocating for girls' education in Pakistan. Now in a new book, she's reintroducing herself to the world. It's called Finding My Way, and in it she writes about the messy, funny, and flawed experiences that come with age, while carrying both the honor and the weight of being an activist for women’s rights.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new documentary series about Martin Scorsese. And Ken Burns talks about his new PBS documentary on the Revolutionary War. It includes the perspectives of women, Native Americans, and enslaved and free Black people–the people initially excluded from the declaration “all men are created equal.”

Remembering NPR 'Founding Mother' Susan Stamberg

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:01:45 +0000

As longtime co-host of All Things Considered, Stamberg was the first woman to anchor a national news program in the U.S. People weren't used to hearing women's voices on the radio. "We were imitating men, so I was lowering my voice to sound as authoritative as I could," she said. Stamberg died Oct. 16. She spoke with Terry Gross in 1982, 1993, and 2021.

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Guillermo Del Toro Finally Makes His Own 'Frankenstein'

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:02:31 +0000

When Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was a kid growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, he would draw monsters all day. His deeply Catholic grandmother even had him exorcised because of it. But when del Toro saw the 1931 film Frankenstein, his life changed. "I realized I understood my faith or my dogmas better through Frankenstein than through Sunday mass." His new adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic book drops on Netflix Nov. 7. He spoke with Terry Gross about getting over his fear of death, the design of Frankenstein's creature, and his opinion on generative AI.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the Palme d'Or-winning film It Was Just An Accident.

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Confused By The U.S. Economy? You're Not Alone

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:29:49 +0000

How are changing tariffs, the AI boom, immigration policies and uncertainty in employment and the stock market impacting the economy? Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist, explains.

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Malala Yousafzai On Breaking Rules & Finding Her Way

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:14:39 +0000

After surviving the Taliban's 2012 attempted assassination, activist Malala Yousafzai didn't back down. She continued to advocate for girls' education across the globe. In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize, an honor that weighed on her when she went off to college. In Finding My Way, she writes about her life at Oxford and beyond. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about reliving childhood, PTSD, and her decision to get married.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Apple TV+ docuseries Mr. Scorsese.

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Ken Burns On The American Revolution

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:10:13 +0000

Burns' new six-part PBS documentary series includes the perspectives of women, Native Americans and enslaved and free Black people — all of whom were initially excluded from the declaration "all men are created equal." The series begins Nov. 16.

Also, Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recording of Handel arias from soprano Julia Lezhneva.

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Best Of: Julian Brave NoiseCat / Laufey

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 05:05:00 +0000

Julian Brave NoiseCat's Oscar-nominated documentary Sugarcane is about the mostly Catholic missionary boarding schools which Indigenous children, including older members of his family, were required to go to get "assimilated." Many were physically and sexually abused. While making the film and writing his new memoir, NoiseCat learned why minutes after his father was born, he was abandoned in a boarding school trash incinerator room. His memoir is We Survived the Night.

Also, Grammy-winning Icelandic musician Laufey plays guitar and sings some songs for us.

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A Girl Grows Up In The Epicenter Of Gay Liberation

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:50:34 +0000

The new movie Fairyland, produced by Sofia Coppola, is adapted from the memoir by Alysia Abbott. She wrote about being the child of a gay single father at the dawn of the gay liberation movement. He raised her in 1970’s San Francisco, after her mother died. He later died from complications from AIDS. Abbott spoke with Terry Gross in 2013.

John Powers reviews the new film Blue Moon, directed by Richard Linklater.

A Story Of Indigenous Survival & Resurgence

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:24:34 +0000

Filmmaker and writer Julian Brave NoiseCat is the son of an Indigenous Canadian father and white mother. After a cultural genocide, he says, living your life becomes an existential question. "To live a life in an Indigenous way is a kind of profound thing, and it has been really beautiful to get to make art and tell stories from that position." NoiseCat spoke with Terry Gross about his father's origin story, dancing at powwows, and the bonds of kinship. His new memoir, We Survived the Night, takes its name from a translation of the Secwépemc morning greeting. His Oscar-nominated documentary Sugarcane is on Hulu/Disney+.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Daphne Du Maurier's collection of short stories, After Midnight.

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How Trump’s Transactional Nature Led To The Ceasefire

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:52:46 +0000

Former State Department negotiator Aaron David Miller, now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, attributes the Gaza deal in part to Trump's transactional nature and breaking of traditional diplomatic crockery. Miller spoke with Dave Davies about the prospects for lasting peace and recovery in the territory.

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Remembering Diane Keaton

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:35:01 +0000

The incomparable Diane Keaton died last week at age 79. Her career spanned more than five decades and 60 film and TV roles, including standout performances in Marvin's Room, Reds, The First Wives Club and Something’s Gotta Give. But it was her starring role in the Woody Allen classic Annie Hall that made Keaton an American film icon. The Oscar-winning actor spoke with Terry Gross in 1997 about finding the character's voice, her audition for The Godfather, and what she wants in a director.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new documentary about SCTV and Spaceballs star John Candy.

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Mitch Albom Is A 'Walking Example Of A Second Chance'

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:11:03 +0000

Albom's new novel, Twice, asks a question most of us have daydreamed about: what if you could go back and relive any moment of your life? In the book, a man is born with that exact power, but every second chance comes with a cost. Albom talks with Tonya Mosley about his new book, and the lasting influence of Morrie Schwartz, his old college professor who died in 1995 of ALS. Nearly 30 years ago, Albom chronicled their weekly visits in his bestselling book Tuesdays With Morrie. Since then, he has written several more bestsellers, exploring love, loss, and what it means to live fully in the face of mortality.

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Best Of: Dwayne Johnson / Comic Cristela Alonzo

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 05:10:00 +0000

WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine. "The Rock" spoke with Terry Gross about the role, his many injuries, and his wrestling personas.

For the first seven years of her life, Cristela Alonzo lived in an abandoned diner in a south Texas border town. She spoke with Terry Gross about the culture shock of having money after growing up so poor and the recent ICE raids in L.A. Her new Netflix stand-up special is called Upper Classy.

Jane Goodall

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:37:40 +0000

Today we’re remembering renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, known for her work researching the behavior of chimpanzees and protecting their habitats. She died last week at the age of 91. "Every time somebody discovers an animal doing something that we used to think was unique to us, there is this scientific uproar, because we [humans] have to keep our uniqueness. And of course the chimps have challenged this belief again and again and again," Goodall told Terry Gross in 1999.

John Powers reviews the Netflix thriller film A House of Dynamite, directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

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National Guard Deployment In American Cities

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 18:30:30 +0000

President Trump has deployed National Guard troops to Portland, Chicago and D.C., and while Democrat-led states are fighting back, some Republican-led states are welcoming the troops -- even requesting them. Tonya Mosley talks with Atlantic national security staff writer Nancy Youssef about these deployments and the tensions building inside the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Hegseth has told military leaders the “old military is over." "The decisions that are being made now will reshape the military for many years," Youssef says.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt.

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Laufey Is Unapologetically Herself

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:20:43 +0000
Icelandic jazz-pop star Laufey spoke with Terry Gross about her classical training in cello, breaking out online during COVID, and her first arena tour. "I've been inspired by Golden Age films, the va-va-voom of it all," the Grammy-winning artist says. Laufey sings and plays in the studio throughout the conversation. Her new album is A Matter of Time.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl.

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'Dopesick' Writer Returns To Her 'Fractured' Hometown

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:24:55 +0000
Journalist and Dopesick author Beth Macy returned to the Ohio factory town where she grew up to find jobs have left, families are struggling and old friends now embrace conspiracy theories. She spoke with Dave Davies about her new memoir, Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli shares an appreciation of Twilight Zone writer/producer Rod Serling.

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Poet Ada Limón On Writing In Uncertain Times

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 18:36:17 +0000
As the nation’s 24th Poet Laureate, Ada Limón has spent her career writing about the hardest parts of being human: loss, grief, longing, and our relationship to nature. She believes that poetry can sometimes tell a better story than a traditional memoir. Limón spoke with Tonya Mosley about her new collection, Startlement.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews the re-release of the album Buckingham Nicks.

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Best Of: Scarlett Johansson & June Squibb / Mark Ronson

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:05:00 +0000
Oscar-nominated actors Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb talk about their new film, Eleanor The Great. In Johansson's directorial debut, a woman starts passing off her deceased friend's Holocaust survival story as her own.

Also, Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson talks about his memoir Night People—a love letter to the '90s club scene in New York City. He's 50 now and still DJing, but some things have definitely changed. "I used to be leaving the club and dialing the dealer on the way out of the club -- and now I'm making an appointment with my acupuncturist online as I'm leaving the club because my back is just so jacked."

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Al Pacino & Sidney Lumet: 'Dog Day Afternoon' At 50

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:03:12 +0000

A film about a man trying to fund a gender-affirming operation by robbing a bank sounds like a modern-day plot. But 50 years ago, that was the scenario for the classic film Dog Day Afternoon. We're featuring our interviews with director Sidney Lumet and with Al Pacino, who starred as the bank robber. Lumet gave his lead license to take the role as far as he wanted, and then pushed Pacino to do more. "It's really one of the best pieces of movie acting I've ever seen. It was blinding in its intensity, agonizingly painful," he told Terry Gross in 1988.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai which has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 19:23:28 +0000

The WWE superstar considered pursuing a career in mixed martial arts before realizing, "I don't like getting punched in the face." Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine. He spoke with Terry Gross about his many injuries, his relationship with his late father, and his wrestling personas.

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Implications Of The DOJ Targeting The President’s Critics

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:54:32 +0000

President Trump is pressuring the Department of Justice to pursue his political enemies, like former FBI director James Comey. Legal scholar (and former U.S. attorney) Barbara McQuade explains how this damages the rule of law.

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Mark Ronson On DJing In The '90s

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:26:39 +0000
Oscar and Grammy-winning music producer Mark Ronson says nothing beats the rush of a great DJ set. "You can call it the scream, the chant, whatever it is. It's like clay or Play-Doh, like the whole crowd is this thing that you're able to mold together. It's incredible. It's kind of why I can't stop DJing," he tells Tonya Mosley. "It's still a feeling that I only get from this one thing, no matter what else I do in my work as a producer." His new memoir, Night People, is a love letter to the 1990s New York City club scene.

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Comic Cristela Alonzo

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 19:27:29 +0000
For the first seven years of her life, Cristela Alonzo lived in an abandoned diner in a south Texas border town. She spoke with Terry Gross about ICE raids, being mentored by labor activist Dolores Huerta, and the culture shock of having money after growing up so poor. Her new Netflix stand-up special is called Upper Classy.

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Best Of: Samin Nosrat / Elizabeth Gilbert

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 06:10:00 +0000

After the tremendous success of Salt Fat Acid Heat, chef and author Samin Nosrat realized she needed to recalibrate her life. "I really believed on some level if I achieved all of these things, that that would fill this hole of loneliness in my heart," she tells Fresh Air's Sam Briger. Nosrat's new book, Good Things, is about sharing food with the people you love.

Elizabeth Gilbert, the bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, talks to Tonya Mosley about her new memoir, All the Way to the River. It’s about her intense relationship with her late partner Rayya, a love that she describes as deep and life-changing, but also destructive, marked by addiction and heartbreak.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews the new romantic fantasy movie A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie.

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Jimmy Kimmel's Path To Late Night

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:40:15 +0000
With Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the center of a free speech debate, we're revisiting Kimmel's 2013 interview with Terry Gross. The late night host talked about his David Letterman obsession as a teen and the pressure of putting on a late night show.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews House of Guinness, the new Netflix series by Stephen Knight, who brought us the shows Peaky Blinders and A Thousand Blows. Film critic Justin Chang reviews the new action-thriller One Battle After Another, by director Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Scarlett Johansson & June Squibb On 'Eleanor The Great'

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:37:51 +0000
Actor Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with Eleanor The Great, about a 94-year-old woman who claims her dead friend's Holocaust story as her own. "It's rare to feel surprised when you read a script," Johansson says. Squibb stars as Eleanor. They spoke with Tonya Mosley about Squibb's Broadway nickname, Johansson's memories of working with the late Robert Redford, and hosting SNL.

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Samin Nosrat Is Embracing 'Good Things'

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 19:49:52 +0000
After the tremendous success of Salt Fat Acid Heat, chef and author Samin Nosrat realized she needed to recalibrate her life. "I really believed on some level if I achieved all of these things, that that would fill this hole of loneliness in my heart," she tells Fresh Air's Sam Briger. Nosrat's new book, Good Things, is about sharing food with the people you love.

Also, Justin Chang reviews Big Bold Beautiful Journey, starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie.

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Elizabeth Gilbert On Love, Loss, And Liberation

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:59:23 +0000
Elizabeth Gilbert's new memoir, All the Way to the River, is an unflinching personal account of addiction, grief, and healing. The book tells the story of her relationship with Rayya Elias, first her hairstylist and friend, and later her romantic partner, who died of pancreatic and liver cancer in 2018. Gilbert writes about leaving her marriage for Rayya, the devotion and chaos of that love, and her own dangerous impulses. The Eat, Pray, Love author spoke with Tonya Mosley about her recovery from sex and love addiction, caregiver collapse, and why she isn't reading book reviews.

Also, John Powers reviews the FX series The Lowdown, starring Ethan Hawke.

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Best Of: Jude Law / Pedro Pascal

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 05:05:06 +0000

Jude Law now stars in the thriller series Black Rabbit on Netflix. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about the show, working with a dialect coach, and why he worked with a perfumer to play Henry VIII.  Rock critic Ken Tucker shares some of his favorite music releases of the fall, and Pedro Pascal talks about how his dance training helped him become a better actor in action roles.

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Robert Redford, Over The Years

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:05:23 +0000
The legendary actor died Tuesday at age 89. He spoke with Terry Gross about his movies, creating the Sundance Film Festival and Institute, and why he couldn't wait to leave school and Southern California. "I wasn't learning the way I was supposed to learn. I realized that my education was going to happen when I got out in the world." Interviews are from 1998 and 2013.

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Jude Law

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:06:47 +0000
Jude Law's new Netflix series Black Rabbit with Jason Bateman follows two brothers in New York City, one a successful restaurateur, the other on the run and in debt. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about the series, using a perfumer to get into character to play Henry VIII and why he almost turned down his break-out role in The Talented Mr. Ripley.

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How Charlie Kirk Became A Voice Of Conservative Youth

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 19:49:08 +0000
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination on Sept. 10, NYT reporter Robert Draper talks with Terry Gross about the conservative activist's rise and legacy. Draper profiled Kirk earlier this year and stayed in touch up to the day before his death. We also discuss right-wing extremist Nick Fuentes, a rival of Kirk’s with a large following.

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Mary Roach On Our Remarkable, Replaceable Bodies

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 20:23:29 +0000
Science writer Mary Roach is fascinated by the human body, especially, she says, the "gooey bits and pieces of us that are performing miracles on a daily basis. Roach has done deep dives on human cadavers, the digestive system and the science of sex. Now, in Replaceable You, she chronicles both the history of body part replacement (including prosthetic noses that date back to the 1500s), and more recent medical breakthroughs in regenerative medicine. Roach spoke with Terry Gross.

This month marks Terry's 50th anniversary as host of Fresh Air. To commemorate the milestone, Sam Fragoso interviewed Terry for his podcast Talk Easy. In this excerpt, Gross shares her life motto and tells a story about writing song lyrics in high school.

Listen to the full episode of Terry Gross on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso.Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and Talk Easy @talkeasypod. The video version will be on YouTube this week.

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The Cost Of Gun Violence On Black Life

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:40:21 +0000
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee's new memoir, A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America, is part history, and part personal. He traces the bloody history Black Americans have with firearms, recalls the gun violence in his own youth and follows his ancestors’ path back to Ghana. The book reads like a plea for people to see the humanity of those lost to gun violence — and for this country to care enough to act. Lee spoke with Tonya Mosley about the toll of writing about Black death.

Also, Kevin Whitehead reviews a new anthology of Joni Mitchell's jazz connections.

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Terry Gross On 50 Years Of Fresh Air (Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso)

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 19:31:05 +0000
This month marks 50 years of Terry Gross as the host of Fresh Air. What began in 1975 as a local experiment at WHYY in Philadelphia has since grown into a national institution—one that not only transformed public radio, but laid the groundwork for the world of podcasting.To commemorate a half-century on the air, Terry Gross joins us for a rare appearance in the interview seat. At the top, we discuss her Brooklyn upbringing (11:39), early memories of writing (14:13), and her improbable road to public radio (30:51). Then, Terry walks us through the formative years of Fresh Air (34:50) and its seminal conversations with Kurt Vonnegut (41:34), John Updike (47:43), Monica Lewinsky (50:43), Joan Didion (1:02:08), and more.On the back-half, Gross reflects on forty-seven years of partnership with her late husband, jazz writer Francis Davis (1:04:37), their shared affinity for reading and music (1:07:10), the future of public media (1:20:29), and why she continues to have faith in (and love for) the long-form interview (1:32:48).

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Best Of: Rob Reiner On 'Spinal Tap II' / Billy Strings

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:11:54 +0000

Rob Reiner talks with Terry Gross about directing the new sequel to Spinal Tap, the mockumentary about a heavy metal band. He’ll also talk about his remarkable life and career, like directing When Harry Met Sally and starring in All in the Family.

Also, singer songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings is one of the rare bluegrass musicians who can fill arenas with tens of thousands of fans. He’s been working to get to where he is for a long time.
"I slept with my guitar when I was four or five years old, I'd put it right under the blankets with me, and I used to kiss it good night." Strings spoke with Fresh Air's Sam Briger and brought his guitar to the studio.

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Inside Netflix's 'Adolescence'

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:27:30 +0000
The Netflix miniseries follows a 13-year-old accused of murdering a girl from his school. Co-creator and star Stephen Graham says he read about similar crimes and wanted to know: "Why is this happening?" Graham spoke with Sam Briger about the crime that inspired the show, fatherhood, and the unusual way the show was shot — in one single take. Adolescence has 13 Emmy nominations.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

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NSA Whistleblower Reality Winner

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 19:39:27 +0000
Veteran Air Force linguist Reality Winner was working at the NSA in 2017 when she leaked a classified document to the press about Russian election interference. Soon after, the FBI showed up at her door. She was sentenced to five years in prison and was released in 2021. Winner's new memoir is I Am Not Your Enemy. She spoke with Terry Gross.

Also, John Powers reviews the MUBI series Mussolini: Son of the Century about the ferocious rise of the Italian dictator.

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The Future Of Free And Fair Elections

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:46:47 +0000

Before 2026's midterms, President Trump wants to ban mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines, and change voting rules. Legal expert Richard Hasen discusses the future of free and fair elections in America. "What's it going to mean to have to stand up to the government to make sure that people have their right to vote?" Hasen says. "I think it's very unlikely that the president would say the elections are canceled, but there's lots of things he could do with his power, with the military, with his power over federal government machinery that can make it very difficult for some people to vote."

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Patrick Ryan's novel Buckeye.

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Rob Reiner's 'Spinal Tap' Still Goes To 11

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 20:07:52 +0000
Reiner's 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap sparked a new genre of satire. Now, more than 40 years later, the band is back in a new sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. "They have grown neither emotionally or musically," Reiner says. The filmmaker spoke with Terry Gross about When Harry Met Sally, growing up around comedy legends, and starring in Norman Lear's seminal sitcom All in the Family.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new comedy series The Paper.

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Bluegrass Star Billy Strings

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:00:59 +0000
The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, Live at the Legion, and he brought his guitar to our studio. He spoke with Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting, performing the day his mom died, and how being a father has changed him as a musician. "I sing now from a place of freedom and joy in my belly," Strings says.

Also, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews an album from harpist Brandee Younger.

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Best Of : Jane Fonda / Spike Lee

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000
At 87, Oscar-winning actor Jane Fonda is pouring her energy into activism. She’ll reflect on her decades-long career, and how she first began her fitness empire to fund her activist work. Also, we hear from Spike Lee. His latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, but through the lens of modern-day America and hip-hop culture. Both guests spoke with Tonya Mosley.

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Noah Wyle, Star Of 'The Pitt'

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 19:40:36 +0000
After 11 seasons on ER, Noah Wyle thought he was finished with medical dramas: "I spent 15 years avoiding — actively avoiding — walking down what I thought was either hallowed ground or traveled road." But then COVID happened, and he felt compelled to tell more of these stories. He spoke with Dave Davies about the making of HBO's hit show The Pitt, the medical jargon, and his mom's feedback on the show.

Justin Chang reviews the new film Caught Stealing, from director Darren Aronofsky.

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How Does Pain Work? Dr. Sanjay Gupta Explains

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:39:48 +0000
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's new book examines the world of pain — why we feel it, and how we can treat it. He says distraction and meditation can be useful tools for managing pain. He spoke with Terry Gross about how the brain gets pain signals wrong, alternatives to painkillers, and how a family of circus performers inspired a new drug. Gupta's book is It Doesn't Have to Hurt.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the HBO series Task, by the creator of Mare of Easttown, starring Mark Ruffalo.

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RFK Jr.'s Impact On Americans' Health

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:44:26 +0000
We look at the stormy tenure of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. New York Times reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg discusses how RFK Jr.'s cuts to government staff and expert groups will impact everyday Americans. A vaccine skeptic, Kennedy fired the CDC director last week.

Also, John Powers reviews the Prime Video thriller series Butterfly, starring Daniel Dae Kim.

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Jane Fonda Is Not Backing Down

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 19:38:33 +0000
Earlier this year, Fonda made headlines for delivering a fiery critique of the Trump administration during a SAG-AFTRA award acceptance speech. "This is not the time to go inward," Fonda says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her career onscreen and off, as an activist.

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Roots of Rock and R&B: Dion and Allen Toussaint

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:18:00 +0000
All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. We listen back to a 2000 interview with former teen idol Dion. Plus we’ll hear an interview Terry Gross recorded in 1988 with New Orleans songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint. And jazz critic Kevin Whitehead profiles jazz saxophonist Art Pepper, who was born 100 years ago today.

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Roots of R&B: Charles Brown & Ray Charles

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 11:44:27 +0000
All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. We listen back to a 1989 interview with singer and pianist Charles Brown. Brown is credited with creating an expressive style of music that blended rough Texas blues with the soft glamour of Hollywood. And we revisit a 1998 interview with soul singer Ray Charles, who helped shape American music, beginning with his 1955 hit, “I Got a Woman.”

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Roots of R&B: 'Stand By Me'

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 19:22:46 +0000
All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Soul singer Ben E. King began his career in the ‘50s with The Drifters but it was the '61 hit "Stand by Me" that sealed his musical legacy. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1988. We also listen back to a 1991 interview with lyricist Jerry Leiber and composer Mike Stoller, who wrote and produced music for King. Plus, we'll revisit Terry Gross' 1993 interview with Jerry Wexler, the hitmaker who coined the term "rhythm and blues."

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Roots of R&B: Johnny Otis & Etta James

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 20:23:21 +0000
All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Singer, songwriter, producer and talent scout Johnny Otis got his start leading a big band that had the 1945 hit “Harlem Nocturne.” Later, as a talent scout, he discovered such performers as Big Mama Thornton, Esther Phillips and Etta James. James' career took off in the '60s with hits including “At Last," “A Sunday Kind of Love” and “I’d Rather Go Blind."

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Roots of Rock: Sun Records & Johnny Cash

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 20:07:27 +0000

All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Sam Phillips discovered Elvis Presley and produced his first records, which many consider Elvis’ best. He also founded Sun Records and launched the careers of Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash. Cash is one of the most influential figures in country music. His collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, starting in the late 1990s, transformed Cash’s image and gained him a new, young audience.

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Roots Of Rock: "Blue Suede Shoes"

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:49:16 +0000

All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. We're kicking it off with Terry Gross's interviews with Elvis Presley's guitarist Scotty Moore, who tells stories about playing with the King and recording "Blue Suede Shoes." That song was written by rockabilly musician Carl Perkins, who also spoke with Terry about his career.

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Remembering Actor Terence Stamp

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:56:40 +0000

We remember British actor Terence Stamp, who died last week at age 87. He starred in the film The Limey, as an ex-con out for revenge, and in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert as a transgender performer on the road with a lip-synch club act. Stamp got his start in the ’60s, starring in the films Billy Budd, Far From the Madding Crowd and The Collector. Stamp grew up in a working class cockney neighborhood and as a teenager, when he let it be known he wanted to be an actor, his father told him, "People like us don't do things like that." He spoke with Terry Gross in 2002.
Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the new hit horror film Weapons.

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Robert Reich: The Baby Boomers Fell Short

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:13:28 +0000
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich served under President Clinton from 1993 to 1997. He opens his new memoir, Coming Up Short, with an apology on behalf of the Baby Boom generation for failing to build a more just society.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the books Pariah and The Dancing Face.

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The Dramatic Overhaul Of The Justice Dept.

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:32:57 +0000
The New Yorker’s Ruth Marcus says Bondi has presided over the DOJ's most convulsive transition of power since Watergate, aggressively reversing policies, investigating Trump’s foes and firing staff.

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Spike Lee On Dynamic Duos & Reimagining Kurosawa

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 18:06:00 +0000
Spike Lee's new film, Highest 2 Lowest, centers on a music mogul (Denzel Washington) who faces a moral dilemma when kidnappers mistakenly hold his friend's son ransom instead of his own: Will he risk it all to save a child who isn't his? The Oscar-winning filmmaker spoke with Tonya Mosley about his decades-long partnership with Denzel, an upcoming docuseries about Hurricane Katrina, and Do The Right Thing, 35+ years later.

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Bowen Yang's 'Wicked' White Lie

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 19:57:38 +0000
The Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live cast member talks with Terry Gross about his favorite pop culture in the aughts, his SNL audition, and his recent trip to China.

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Thomas Mallon

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:04:34 +0000
Writer Thomas Mallon looks back on the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when he was in his 30s, living in Manhattan. His friends were sick or dead, and he was terrified that he’d die, too. Excerpts of his journals from those years are collected in The Very Heart of It. He'll also talk about his latest novel, Up with the Sun, based on the life and murder of a little-known gay actor from the 1950s and '60s.

Also, we remember jazz singer Sheila Jordan, who died Monday at age 96. And Justin Chang reviews Spike Lee's new film, Highest 2 Lowest.

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Best Of: AI's Writing Critique / The Rise And Fall Of Condé Nast

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:18:24 +0000
After writing chapters of her new book about how tech companies help and exploit us, tech journalist and novelist Vauhini Vara fed those chapters to ChatGPT. She told the AI chatbot she needed help with her writing. But her real goal was to analyze and critique the chatbot’s advice. Her book is Searches.

Also, before social media, before influencers, the magazines Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, and Architectural Digest were among the most significant tastemakers, informing readers what clothes, celebrities, and trends were hot. We’ll talk with Michael Grynbaum about how Condé Nast cultivated a mystique that captivated subscribers.

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Pedro Pascal Got Fired A Lot

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:03:46 +0000

Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal has faced countless on-screen challenges, including cosmic battles and cartel kingpins. He's nominated for an Emmy for his role on the HBO series, The Last of Us. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about getting fired from restaurant jobs, his dance training, and his parents' exile from Chile.

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Musician Charley Crockett's Road From Busking To The Grammys

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:59:08 +0000
Crockett grew up poor and got his start in music busking for tips on the street and in the subway. He's since played the Hollywood Bowl and been nominated for a Grammy. The country/roots musician talks with Terry Gross and plays songs from his new album, Dollar a Day.

John Powers reviews The Diary of Lies, a new mystery novel about a reporter. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new series Alien: Earth, a TV prequel to the film Alien.

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Jeff Hiller's Big Break Came In His 40s

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 19:12:26 +0000
Hiller spent years scraping by in Hollywood by taking on various small roles and commercials. Then he landed the role of Joel on HBO's Somebody Somewhere and everything changed. His new memoir is Actress of a Certain Age.

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Daniel Dae Kim Fakes His Own Death In 'Butterfly'

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 22:07:04 +0000
Daniel Dae Kim became the first actor of Asian descent to be nominated for a Tony, for his performance in Yellow Face, in the role of a playwright trying to deal with Asian American representation. His new Amazon Prime Video spy series Butterfly premieres today. Kim spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about his career, his big break with Lost, and filming his new series in his hometown in Korea. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reflects on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for its 100th anniversary.

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Best Of: Making 'Born To Run' / Why We Can't Sleep

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000
This month marks the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's album Born to Run. We'll talk with Peter Ames Carlin, author of a Tonight in Jungleland, about the making of this now classic album.

Also, we'll talk with Jennifer Senior about her Atlantic article "Why Can't Americans Sleep?" And, David Bianculli reviews season two of Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega.

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Remembering Eddie Palmieri / Funk Innovator George Clinton

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:47:21 +0000
We remember Eddie Palmieri, the pianist, bandleader and composer whose contributions to Afro-Caribbean music shaped the genre for decades. He died Wednesday at the age of 88.

Also, Parliament's now classic funk album Mothership Connection turned 50 this year. We listen back to Terry Gross's 1989 interview with funkmaster George Clinton.

David Bianculli reviews the new season of Wednesday and film critic Justin Chang reviews two comedy remakes: The Naked Gun and Freakier Friday.

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The Making Of Springsteen's 'Born To Run'

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:21:03 +0000
Bruce Springsteen's groundbreaking album, Born to Run, came out 50 years ago this month, marking a turning point for rock and roll — and for "The Boss." Before he recorded that record, Springsteen's label, Columbia, was on the verge of dropping him because his first two albums, though critically acclaimed, had sold poorly. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin describes the creation of Born to Run as an "existential moment" for Springsteen. His book is Tonight in Jungleland.

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The Nihilistic War In Sudan

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 17:45:07 +0000
Fourteen million people in Sudan have been displaced by war and famine. The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum says the scale of destruction is vast and, as the conflict rages, people are overwhelmed by chaos.

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Sarah Silverman Gets the Last Laugh in 'PostMortem'

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 22:33:27 +0000
Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point for Silverman's "cathartic" Netflix comedy special, PostMortem. She spoke with Terry Gross about their final days, finding the joy in grief, and she reflects on the boys' club of the comedy scene when she was starting out.

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How The 1979 Revolution Transformed Iran

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:56:31 +0000
For decades, Iran has been an adversary of the United States. Scott Anderson examines the Iranian revolution of 1979, the upheaval that deposed the reigning monarch and transformed the country from a U.S. ally to an Islamic Republic. He says blunders by American policymakers played a key role in the outcome. Anderson's new book is King of Kings.

Later David Bianculli reviews the new HBO documentary, Billy Joel: And So it Goes.

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Best Of: Mariska Hargitay / Marc Maron

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Emmy-winning Law & Order: SVU actor Mariska Hargitay talks about her new documentary, My Mom Jayne, an intimate portrait of her mother, the late Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield's life was cut short in a tragic car accident when Hargitay was just 3 years old.

Also, comic and actor Marc Maron talks about grief, his problematic cats, and why he's ending his popular podcast WTF, which he started in the early days of podcasting. Maron has a new HBO comedy special called Panicked, and he's the subject of a new documentary.

Plus, Ken Tucker has an appreciation of Parliament's album Mothership Connection which turns 50 this year.

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Correcting The Record On Elvis's Manager

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:56:09 +0000
Terry Gross talks with rock historian Peter Guralnick, author of the definitive two volume biography of Elvis Presley. His new book is about Elvis's longtime manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Guralnick says researching the book led to many surprises and made him question the many preconceptions about Parker. It's called The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley, and the Partnership that Rocked the World.

John Powers reviews Code of Silence, a new British crime series.

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Has NASA Ceded Its Mission To Elon Musk?

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:56:33 +0000
The Atlantic journalist Franklin Foer explains how SpaceX and the Trump administration are changing the face of NASA, and why Musk's dream of Mars may come at the cost of the agency's mission.

Also, Ken Tucker commemorates the 50th anniversary release of George Clinton's album Mothership Connection.

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Comic Marc Maron On Grief, Cats, And Being Openhearted

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 18:09:23 +0000
As he winds down his podcast, WTF, after 16 years, Marc Maron reflects on what he'll miss: "These conversations are very real conversations for me ... and that is kind of nourishing for the spirit and the soul." He spoke with Terry Gross about being the subject of a documentary, dreams he has of his late girlfriend Lynn Shelton, and cringing at his old comedy. Maron stars in the Apple TV+ series Stick, and his new HBO comedy special, Panicked, is out on August 1.

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Mariska Hargitay On Freeing Herself From Generational Trauma

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:32:24 +0000
The Law & Order: SVU actor was just 3 years old in 1967 when her movie star mom, Jayne Mansfield, died in a car crash. Hargitay's new documentary highlights the intelligent woman behind her mom's crafted persona. Hargitay has a new HBO documentary about her "archeological dig" on her family, called My Mom Jayne. She also talks about learning the identity of her biological father, her love of comedy, and working with survivors of sexual assault.

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Best Of: Actor Leslie Uggams / Martha's Vineyard's Indigenous Past & Present

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Actor and singer Leslie Uggams talks about her remarkable career, which started when she was 6. She was later the first Black woman to host a TV variety show. In the 1977 TV miniseries Roots, she played Kunta Kinte's daughter. More recently she's been in Empire, American Fiction, and the Deadpool films — and is still going strong at 82.

Also, writer Joseph Lee talks about what it means to be a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe from Martha's Vineyard. His new book, Nothing More of This Land, peels back the postcard image of the Vineyard to reveal a powerful story of Indigenous identity and survival.

Plus, rock critic Ken Tucker reviews new music from the band HAIM and Addison Rae.

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Remembering Lyricist Alan Bergman / The 'Outrageous' Jessica Mitford

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:04:14 +0000
The lyrics for the songs "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," "The Way We Were," "Nice 'n' Easy," "You Must Believe in Spring," and "The Windmills of Your Mind" were written by the husband and wife lyric-writing team of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Alan Bergman died last week at the age of 99. The two wrote songs together for more than 60 years. They spoke with Terry Gross in 2007.

The aristocratic, unconventional British Mitford sisters are the subject of the new BritBox TV series Outrageous. We listen to our 1989 interview with Jessica Mitford, who wrote The American Way of Death, an exposé of the funeral industry that became a best seller in 1963. Mitford also was a communist who refused to give information to the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli review Dexter: Resurrection.

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The Shifting Landscape Of Higher Education

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 18:55:36 +0000
The Trump administration has been pressuring elite universities, like Harvard and Columbia, with widespread demands, and threats of federal funding cuts. So why are they now investigating George Mason University? ProPublica education reporter Katherine Mangan tells us why GMU's president thinks it's driven by a backlash to DEI efforts.

Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead reflects on a James Moody release. He would've been 100 this year.

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A Chatbot Reacts To A Book About Tech

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:33:28 +0000
After writing chapters of her new book about how tech companies help and exploit us, tech journalist and novelist Vauhini Vara fed those chapters to ChatGPT. She told the chatbot she needed help with her writing, but her real goal was to analyze and critique the AI's advice. Her new book is Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age.

Also, TV critic and historian David Bianculli reacts to the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

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Leslie Uggams Looks Back On Her Decades In Show Business

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 18:30:13 +0000
Uggams performed in Beulah, Hallelujah Baby, Roots, Empire, American Fiction and the Deadpool films. She was the first Black woman to host a TV variety show. At 82, she's appearing in The Gilded Age. She spoke with Terry Gross about her long, winding career.

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Martha's Vineyard's Indigenous Past & Present

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 20:34:52 +0000
In Nothing More of This Land, Aquinnah Wampanoag writer Joseph Lee takes readers past the celebrity summer scene and into the heart of Noepe, the name his people have called the island for centuries.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews new music from HAIM and Addison Rae.

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Best Of: Stacey Abrams / Raphael Saadiq

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Stacey Abrams is known as a voting rights activist, former candidate for Georgia governor, and founder of Fair Fight Action. But she's also a bestselling author, and has a new novel, a thriller revolving around a former Supreme Court clerk investigating a murder inside an AI company.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends two summer non-fiction books.

And we hear from musician and producer Raphael Saadiq. He's known for his work as a member of Tony! Toni! Toné! and as a solo artist. He's produced and written for artists like Solange, D'Angelo, Beyoncé, John Legend, and many more.

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In The Dugout With Baseball All Stars

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:06:07 +0000
As Major League Baseball celebrates a memorable All Star Game, we feature some of our favorite baseball interviews – with crafty veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer, cerebral and successful manager Tony La Russa, and slugger Mike Piazza on his epic confrontation with Roger Clemens in the World Series.

John Powers reviews Cloud, the new psychological thriller from Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

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Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:05:55 +0000
Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.

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The Dominance & Decline Of The Condé Nast Magazine Empire

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:54:32 +0000
For decades, Condé Nast publications such as Vogue and Vanity Fair were consequential tastemakers. Writer Michael Grynbaum explores the heyday of these magazines and how they lost their footing. His book is Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America.

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Rising Floods, Cuts To FEMA And Future Chaos

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 20:20:29 +0000
ProPublica Editor-at-Large Abrahm Lustgarten says the deadly flooding in Central Texas — which has killed over 130 people — underscores the dangers of a more volatile climate. Despite clear scientific evidence, the federal government has made cuts to research and forecasting, even threatening to dismantle FEMA. "We could talk about the floods in Texas as being an early warning sign of policy degradation to come," he says. "And we can expect to be more on our own and unsupported by those policies when these disasters continue to happen in the future.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Sorry, Baby.

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Stacey Abrams On American Autocracy & Her New Chapter

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:41:21 +0000
Abrams isn't running for office — but she's not ruling it out, either. "Politics is a tool ... for getting good done, but it's not the only one." Her new thriller novel is Coded Justice. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about voter suppression, her faith, and collaborating with her siblings on her books.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the BritBox period drama Outrageous.

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The 'Jailhouse Lawyer' Who Freed Innocent People — Including Himself

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:02:53 +0000
While serving a life sentence for a murder he didn't commit, Calvin Duncan studied law, hoping to appeal his case. In the process he became a jailhouse lawyer. We'll talk about how he managed to help free many wrongly convicted prisoners, including himself, while facing countless legal obstacles confronting people who are poor and Black. His memoir is The Jailhouse Lawyer.

Maureen Corrigan recommends two summer non-fiction books: The Salt Stones By Helen Whybrow and A Marriage at Sea By Sophie Elmhirst.

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Best Of: A 'Failed' Child Star / A Novel About Pregnancy Post-Roe

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Tamara Yajia grew up Jewish in Argentina, intent on becoming a child star. But just when her break was coming along, her family emigrated to California. Her new memoir is Cry for Me, Argentina.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new HBO Max documentary about Ms. magazine.

Leila Mottley's novel The Girls Who Grew Big follows a group of teenage mothers in the Florida Panhandle who form a close-knit community to support each other through the challenges of young motherhood.

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Danzy Senna Writes Herself (& Other Mixed-Race People) Into Existence

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:37:27 +0000
Novelist Danzy Senna spoke with Terry Gross about racial identity, growing up with a Black father and white mother in an era when "mixed-race" wasn't a thing. "Just merely existing as a family was a radical statement at that time," she says. Her latest book is Colored Television.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new Superman movie.

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SCOTUS & The Reconception Of American Constitutional Order

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:48:22 +0000
New York Times reporter Adam Liptak discusses the Supreme Court's decisions to limit the power of lower courts while expanding presidential power, and its consequential use of the so-called shadow docket. "It's it's not an overstatement to say that in a matter of months American democracy has been transformed," he tells Terry Gross.

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Doula & Novelist Leila Mottley On The Nuance Of Young Parenthood

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:27:29 +0000
Leila Mottley gained critical acclaim at 19 with her debut novel Nightcrawling, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Now, she returns with her second novel, The Girls Who Grew Big. It follows a group of teenage mothers in the Florida Panhandle who form a close-knit community to support each other through the challenges of young motherhood. Mottley talks about why she views this novel as a response to the current political moment surrounding reproductive rights.

And TV critic David Bianculli reviews the season premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and its crossover with Abbott Elementary.

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Raphael Saadiq's Secret To Creative Success: 'Dare To Suck'

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:57:05 +0000
Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Raphael Saadiq talks about his process — from collaborating with Beyoncé and Solange, to his song in Sinners, to his R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! He just announced an extended tour of his one-man show, No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits.

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Can't Sleep? You're Not Alone

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:58:54 +0000
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jennifer Senior has had insomnia for 25 years. Her new piece in The Atlantic, "Why Can't Americans Sleep?," is about her often futile attempts to fall asleep, and about the latest research into insomnia and the medications and therapies used to treat it.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new HBO Max documentary about Ms. magazine.

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Best Of: 'Hamilton' Producer Jeffrey Seller / Ebon Moss-Bachrach On 'The Bear'

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Jeffrey Seller has been a key behind-the-scenes figure for some of the Broadway's biggest hits including, Hamilton and RENT, but he got his start on a much smaller scale. He looks back in a new memoir called Theater Kid.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach has won two Emmys for his portrayal of Cousin Richie, the abrasive and ornery cook/maître d' on the FX series The Bear. He talks about the making of the show.

Ken Tucker reviews a new collection of Bruce Springsteen music, songs he wrote and recorded from the mid '80s to the late 2010s, but hadn't released until now.

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How Louis Armstrong Became The First Black Pop Star

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:11:26 +0000
Author Ricky Riccardi says Armstrong's innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist helped set the entire soundtrack of the 20th century. His book about Armstrong's early life is Stomp Off, Let's Go.

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A 'Failed Child Star' Looks Back On Her Unconventional Childhood

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 18:13:04 +0000
Tamara Yajia grew up Jewish in Argentina, intent on becoming a child star. But just when her break was coming along, her family emigrated to California. Her new memoir is Cry for Me, Argentina.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews a new release of "lost" Bruce Springsteen music.

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How Communities, Families & The Economy Are Impacted By ICE

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:23:38 +0000
Jacob Soboroff of NBC News says the Trump administration promised to deport the "worst of the worst" criminal immigrants, but is now detaining undocumented workers with no serious criminal record. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about the condition of some detainment centers, the impact on L.A. communities, and child separation.

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Remembering Renowned Broadcaster Bill Moyers

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 18:43:38 +0000
Longtime TV correspondent and commentator Bill Moyers died last week at age 91. Before he began his long career in broadcasting, he was presidential aide to Lyndon B. Johnson and later became White House press secretary. In a compilation of archival interviews with Terry Gross, we hear Moyers reflect on his career, his upbringing, and the polarization of American politics.

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A Theater Kid's Path To Broadway Producer

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:57:18 +0000
Jeffrey Seller has been a key behind-the-scenes figure for some of the Broadway's biggest hits including, Hamilton and RENT, but he got his start on a much smaller scale. He looks back in a new memoir called Theater Kid. Seller spoke with Terry Gross about his path from poverty in Michigan to the epicenter of musical theater.

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Best Of: 'Hysterical' Podcaster / 'Seinfeld' Writer

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 07:00:18 +0000
What happens when a former federal government employee turns his lens on the psychology of panic? You get Hysterical, a podcast series from Dan Taberski. In it, Taberski investigates a mysterious illness that swept through a group of high school students in upstate New York. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his award-winning podcast.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends some mystery and suspense novels for your summer reading list.

Also, we'll hear from Larry Charles who has been a writer, director and/or executive producer on a number of culturally impactful TV shows and films including Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, and Borat. He spoke with Terry Gross about his new memoir.

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Remembering War Correspondent Rod Nordland

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 18:11:40 +0000
After surviving many close calls as a war correspondent — from bullets, mortars and the threat of execution — Rod Nordland was diagnosed with a lethal brain tumor in 2019. He died last week, at the age of 75. In his interview with Terry Gross last year, he spoke about facing his mortality as a war correspondent and as a terminal cancer patient. Nordland covered wars and conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Bosnia, El Salvador and Cambodia.

Also, we'll listen back to Terry's 1993 conversation with legendary guitarist Buddy Guy, who has a cameo in Sinners.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new season of Hulu's The Bear.

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Virgil Abloh's Unconventional Path To Luxury Fashion

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:06:21 +0000
Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Robin Givhan talks with Tonya Mosley about her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. It's a powerful look at the life and influence of the late designer, who made history as the first Black American artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton. Givhan reveals how Abloh, the son of Ghanaian immigrants and a digital native, shaped by hip hop and skate culture, was able to penetrate fashion's elite barriers and redefine who gets to belong.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the summer blockbuster F1 starring Brad Pitt.

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Ebon Moss-Bachrach Takes Us Inside 'The Bear' Kitchen

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:42:07 +0000
Ebon Moss-Bachrach has won two Emmys for his portrayal of Cousin Richie, the abrasive and ornery cook/maître d' on the FX series The Bear. The show is known for kitchen chaos, but he says the set is calm. He spoke with Fresh Air contributor Ann Marie Baldonado about the show, his character on GIRLS, and his venture into the Marvel Universe.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the documentary, My Mom Jayne, produced and edited by Law & Order actor Mariska Hargitay. It's about her mom, the actress Jayne Mansfield, who died young in a car accident.

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Will Israel And The U.S. Attacks On Iran Affect Tehran's Regime?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 18:32:40 +0000
Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour has called Trump's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities a once-in-a-generation event that could transform the Middle East. While the impact of the conflict may not be clear for years, Sadjadpour says the attacks by the U.S. and Israel do raise a more immediate question: Will they strengthen the authoritarian regime in Tehran, or hasten its demise?

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Gen Z Is Having Less Sex. Why?

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:20:37 +0000
Journalist Carter Sherman says Gen Z — people ages 13 to 28 — are having less sex than previous generations. As part of her research, Sherman interviewed more than 100 teenagers, college students, and sexual health experts. She argues that miseducation, porn, digital disconnection, and political pressure have combined to reshape how young people experience sex and intimacy. Her book is The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation's Fight Over Its Future.

Also, critic at large John Powers reviews Endling, the debut novel from Maria Reva.

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Best Of: Benicio del Toro / Molly Jong-Fast

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Benicio del Toro talks about his leading role in Wes Anderson's new film, The Phoenician Scheme. He'll look back on his acting career, and tell us about moving from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in his teens. His other movies include The Usual Suspects, Traffic and Sicario.

Justin Chang reviews the new rom-com Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson.

MSNBC political analyst Molly Jong-Fast's mother Erica Jong became famous from her 1973 novel Fear of Flying, which was considered a groundbreaking work of feminist literature. But Molly's mom became addicted to the fame and couldn't bear to lose it. She talks about her childhood and a year of great loss in her new memoir, How to Lose Your Mother.

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Remembering Pioneer Of Gay Lit, Edmund White

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Edmund White, one of the most eloquent and perceptive chroniclers of gay life and culture, died June 3. He was 85. His 1982 semi-autobiographical novel, A Boy's Own Story, became an international bestseller. White wrote over 30 books, fiction and nonfiction and co-authored the guide The Joy of Gay Sex. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1985, 1994, 1997, and 2006.

Jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews a new album from Amaryllis, the septet founded by guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson.

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Painter Titus Kaphar On 'Exhibiting Forgiveness'

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
When painter, sculptor, and installation artist Titus Kaphar's life was upended by his estranged father, he turned to film. First he decided to tell his story in a documentary, but scrapped the project when it felt unsatisfying. His feature film, Exhibiting Forgiveness, tells his story and brings his paintings to life. Kaphar talked to Tonya Mosley about his journey to healing.

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Podcaster Dan Taberski's Investigation Into An Outbreak Of A Mysterious Illness

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:17:42 +0000
Dan Taberski's award-winning podcast Hysterical investigates a bizarre and unsettling phenomenon: a mysterious illness that swept through a group of high school students in upstate New York. Taberski unpacks the story behind this modern-day case of possible mass hysteria and reflects on his approach to investigative storytelling. We also dig into his past work, including Missing Richard Simmons.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan shares a round-up of this summer's best mystery and suspense titles.

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'Seinfeld' Writer & 'Borat' Director Larry Charles

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 18:18:15 +0000
In his new memoir, Comedy Samurai, Larry Charles reflects on his career in comedy — from writing for Seinfeld to directing Sacha Baron Cohen's films Borat and Brüno — and a recent near-death experience.

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Witnessing Executions In America's Prisons

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:33:12 +0000
The Atlantic staff writer Elizabeth Bruenig talks about her decision to serve as a witness to state-sanctioned executions, and what she's learned about mercy, faith and the possibility of redemption.

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Best Of: Writer Ocean Vuong / Comic Atsuko Okatsuka

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong talks with Tonya Mosley about his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 19 year old grappling with addiction and despair, who forms an unexpected bond with an 82-year-old widow living with dementia. Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan has a review of the book.

And, we hear from comedian Atsuko Okatsuka. She's known for finding humor in the dysfunction of her immigrant family, and the daily responsibilities of being an adult. Her new standup special is about her father, who reappeared in her life after decades away.

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Remembering Brian Wilson, Leader Of The Beach Boys

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:40:00 +0000
Wilson, who has died at the age of 82, was the creative force behind The Beach Boys. He wrote and produced many of their hits, including "I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda," and "God Only Knows." Wilson spoke to Terry Gross in 1988 and 1998 about creating the distinctive Beach Boys sound and his decision to leave the Beach Boys to pursue a solo career. Plus, Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Willie Nelson and Ken Pomeroy.

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Benicio del Toro On Living In Wes Anderson's World

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 01:15:42 +0000
Benicio del Toro talks about his leading role in Wes Anderson's new film, The Phoenician Scheme. He'll look back on his acting career, and tell us about moving from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in his teens. His other movies include The Usual Suspects, Traffic and Sicario.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews Materialists.

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Inside DOGE, Post Elon Musk

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:32:21 +0000
Washington Post Reporter Hannah Natanson says DOGE's mass firings made the government more inefficient. She also explains the risks of DOGE creating a massive database for the Trump administration. "There's a great deal of concern over how basically the Trump administration has taken every tool at their disposal and weaponized a lot of the federal government," she tells Terry Gross.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews The Very Heart of It, by Thomas Mallon. It's a new collection of his diaries from 1983 to '94, which includes when he came out, and the years of the AIDS crisis and how it decimated the gay community.

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Molly Jong-Fast Grew Up With A Mother Addicted To Fame

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 19:23:13 +0000
MSNBC political analyst Molly Jong-Fast's mother Erica Jong became famous from her 1973 novel Fear of Flying, which was considered a groundbreaking work of feminist literature. But Molly's mom became addicted to the fame and couldn't bear to lose it. She talks about her childhood and a year of great loss in her new memoir, How to Lose Your Mother.

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Comic Atsuko Okatsuka Is Owning Her 'Freak'

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:40:09 +0000
Okatsuka is known for her bowl haircut — and for finding humor in the dysfunction of her immigrant family. Her new standup special, Father, is about her dad, who reappeared in her life after decades away. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about being a caretaker, her signature style, and following in the footsteps of Margaret Cho.

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Best Of: The Innovation Of 'I Love Lucy' / Mark Hamill

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Playing Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, made Desi Arnaz a star. Behind the scenes, he created what became standard procedures for producing, shooting, lighting and broadcasting TV sitcoms. Author Todd Purdum talks about his new book Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television.

Also, we hear from Mark Hamill. He's in the new movie The Life of Chuck and is known for playing the iconic hero Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies. He talks about auditioning for the film and acting with puppets.

Plus, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new HBO documentary, Pee-Wee as Himself.

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Why We Remember / 'Simpsons' Composer Alf Clausen

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:27:55 +0000
Do you have trouble remembering names and faces, or where you put your keys? Neurologist Dr. Charan Ranganath talks about the latest research into memory. His book is called Why We Remember.

Alf Clausen, the Emmy-winning composer, arranger and orchestrator behind the music and song parodies on The Simpsons, died at 84. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1997.

And Justin Chang reviews the new film The Life of Chuck, based on a novella by Stephen King. TV critic David Bianculli recommends an upcoming live TV production of George Clooney's Broadway hit, Good Night, and Good Luck.

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Ocean Vuong Sees Himself More As A Teacher Than A Writer

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:34:30 +0000
Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong joins us to discuss his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 19-year-old grappling with addiction and despair, who forms an unexpected bond with an 82-year-old widow living with dementia. Together, they navigate memory and survival. He also talks about teaching and why he's put an end date on the number of books he'll write in his lifetime.

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The Face-Off Between Harvard & The Trump Administration

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:47:30 +0000
The Trump administration has frozen around 3 billion dollars in Harvard grants and contracts, and is trying to stop the university's ability to enroll foreign students. In response, Harvard is suing. Terry Gross talks with Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman.

TV critic David Banculli previews CNN's live telecast of the broadway production of Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney as TV journalist Edward R. Murrow.

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To Shed Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill Turned To Voiceover Work

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:47:54 +0000
Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker, one of the most iconic heroes in movie history. His latest film, The Life of Chuck, is an adaptation of a Stephen King novella. He spoke to Fresh Air about auditioning for Star Wars, voiceover work, and the advice Carrie Fisher gave him.

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With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:53:13 +0000
The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Desi Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

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Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola

Sat, 31 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Comic Sarah Silverman talks about her new Netflix special, PostMortem, about the death of her father and stepmother, 9 days apart. She talks with Terry Gross about how the special came to be.

Also, we hear from Cole Escola, creator and star of the hit Broadway comedy Oh Mary! It's an intentionally ridiculous reimagining of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln. It portrays her as having become addicted to alcohol, not because of the Civil War, but because she's desperately yearning for her only true love, cabaret.

Plus, Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Willie Nelson and Ken Pomeroy.

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A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade

Fri, 30 May 2025 15:50:38 +0000
Filmmaker and stunt coordinator David Leitch says it's easier to do stunts himself than direct his stunt performer friends. "You are responsible for their safety," he explains. "Your heart goes through your chest." His film The Fall Guy is about the unknown performers who put their lives on the line. He spoke with Terry Gross about barrel rolling cars, being lit on fire, and doing another take when everything hurts.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new Wes Anderson film, The Phoenician Scheme.

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Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief

Thu, 29 May 2025 18:54:16 +0000
Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point for Silverman's "cathartic" Netflix comedy special, PostMortem. She spoke with Terry Gross about their final days, finding the joy in grief, and she reflects on the boys' club of the comedy scene when she was starting out.

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The Talented Mr. Vance

Wed, 28 May 2025 18:38:42 +0000
The Atlantic writer George Packer calls JD Vance the most interesting figure in the Trump administration: "He's capable of complex thought, and I also think he may be the future of the MAGA movement."

Also, David Bianculli reviews the HBO movie Mountainhead, written by Succession writer/creator Jesse Armstrong.

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Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration

Tue, 27 May 2025 18:47:39 +0000
James Patterson's books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. He says he often gets ideas for them late at night. His latest, The #1 Dad Book, offers advice for fathers. He spoke with Terry Gross at a WHYY live event for the "Lifelong Learning Award."

Also, Martin Johnson reviews a new album from accordionist Will Holshouser, and we listen back to Terry's interview with him when he brought his instrument to the studio.

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Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
For the holiday weekend, we're revisiting our recent interview with Questlove. His documentary, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), examines Sly Stone's enormous impact on music — and the price he paid for it. "Sly will invent the alphabet for which most of pop and R&B or Black music will write from for the next 60 years," Questlove says. "We're still writing from his dictionary to this day."

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Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:48:20 +0000
Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill about the ongoing debate in higher-ed about A.I..

TV critic David Bianculli reviews One to One, a new documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Also, writer Amanda Hess talks about motherhood in the digital age, navigating a world where apps, surveillance tech, and a relentless stream of algorithmic advice have become part of pregnancy and parenting. Her book is Second Life.

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Remembering Broadway Composer Charles Strouse

Fri, 23 May 2025 15:19:34 +0000
We remember Broadway composer Charles Strouse, who died May 15 at age 96. He wrote the music for the hit musicals Bye Bye Birdie and Annie, which included such songs as "Put On a Happy Face," "A Lot of Livin' to Do," and "Tomorrow." Jay-Z sampled "Hard Knock Life," from Annie, on a Grammy-award-winning rap recording. Strouse understood why: "I wanted that song to be gritty. I didn't want it to be a fake. I wanted it to show these desperate times and these maltreated girls." Strouse spoke with Terry Gross in 2002.

Also, critic-at-large John Powers reviews Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

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Walton Goggins Was Raised By A Village

Thu, 22 May 2025 18:38:01 +0000
Walton Goggins talks with Tonya Mosley about growing up poor in the Deep South, the travel that changed him, and collaborating with his wife. He says his unconventional childhood shaped his approach to acting, from Justified to The White Lotus and The Righteous Gemstones.

David Bianculli reviews a new two-part HBO documentary about Paul Reubens, who played Pee-Wee Herman.

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Professors Are Using A.I., Too. Now What?

Wed, 21 May 2025 18:25:56 +0000
Colleges and universities have been trying to fight against students using tools like ChatGPT to do class assignments and communicate. But here's a twist: Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with NYT tech reporter Kashmir Hill about these conflicts on campus. Also, she shares what she learned after giving over her life for a week to A.I. tools, which wrote emails for her, planned her meals, chose what she should wear, and even created video messages for TikTok using her likeness and a clone of her voice.

David Bianculli reviews a new documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

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Inside The "Cover-Up" Of President Biden's Decline

Tue, 20 May 2025 18:49:46 +0000
CNN host Jake Tapper's book, Original Sin, co-authored by Alex Thompson, describes a president who struggled to function: "One person told us that the presidency was, at best, a five-person board with Joe Biden as chairman." Tapper spoke with Terry Gross about moderating the disastrous Biden/Trump debate, George Clooney's op-ed calling for the president to drop out, and the White House's "cover-up" about Biden's decline.

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Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!'

Mon, 19 May 2025 18:41:19 +0000
Escola gives former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln a wild second act in the Tony-nominated play Oh, Mary! "This play is about a woman with a dream that no one around her understands," Escola says. The actor spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about growing up in rural Oregon, the inspiration for the play, and making sense of its surprise success.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Ocean Vuong's new novel, The Emperor of Gladness.

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Best Of: Ramy Youssef / Danny McBride

Sat, 17 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Ramy Youssef's new animated comedy series, #1 Happy Family USA, is about an Egyptian American Muslim family living in New Jersey, after 9/11, trying to blend in and doing everything they can to avoid being seen as a threat. Youssef spoke with Terry Gross about the series and his own experience during that time.

Also, Danny McBride talks with Tonya Mosley about his HBO series The Righteous Gemstones, about a wildly dysfunctional family of televangelists fighting for power, influence, and their father's approval.

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Zombies Frontman Colin Blunstone

Fri, 16 May 2025 17:48:22 +0000
There's a new documentary about the '60s British band The Zombies. It's called 'Hung Up on a Dream' and it's streaming on Amazon Prime. We're listening back to Terry's 1998 interview with lead singer of The Zombies, Colin Blunstone. The band had a reputation for being clean cut and well mannered. "People want rascals and rogues and naughty boys. So in a way, I think that it went against us a bit," he said.

Also, we remember actor/director James Foley. He directed Glengarry Glen Ross.

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Navigating The 'Wellness' Epidemic

Thu, 15 May 2025 18:24:57 +0000
Journalist Amy Larocca says our society's obsession with optimization and self-care has reached a fever pitch. She unpacks what it really means to take care of ourselves in How to Be Well.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the Chinese film Caught by the Tides.

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His Cancer Meds Were Nearly $1K A Pill. How Did That Happen?

Wed, 14 May 2025 19:16:06 +0000
ProPublica reporter David Armstrong began investigating the pharmaceutical industry when he learned a single pill of his cancer treatment costs about the same as a new iPhone — but costs 25 cents to make. His investigation into the discovery and marketing of the drug Revlimid revealed strategies employed by pharmaceutical companies to ward off competition, and keep prices of their medications high. We'll also talk about ways insurance companies deny claims for tests and treatment recommended by doctors.

Also, David Bianculli reviews a music documentary about singer-songwriter Janis Ian.

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Ramy Youssef Animates A Muslim Family's Post-9/11 Life

Tue, 13 May 2025 18:43:33 +0000
Actor Ramy Youssef was in 5th grade and living in New Jersey when the Twin Towers fell. His new Amazon Prime animated show, #1 Happy Family USA, draws on the experiences of his own Egyptian American family navigating Islamophobia after Sept. 11.

Conan O'Brien was the recipient of this year's Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. David Bianculli reviews the Netflix special of the ceremony.

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'Righteous Gemstones' Creator Danny McBride's Love Letter To The South

Mon, 12 May 2025 19:05:01 +0000
The Georgia native has seen how Hollywood traffics in stereotypes about the American South. He talks with Tonya Mosley about making creative work that challenges them. His HBO show The Righteous Gemstones, which satirizes televangelists, just wrapped its fourth and final season.

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Best Of: Michelle Williams / Sarah Snook

Sat, 10 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Michelle Williams talks about starring in Dying For Sex — a dark but funny TV series based on a true story about a woman with stage four cancer who, facing death, decides to take ownership of her sexual pleasure.

Also, we hear from Sarah Snook. She's best known for her role on HBO's Succession as Shiv Roy. She tells us why she almost didn't audition for the part. Snook was recently nominated for a Tony for her performance on Broadway in the stage adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

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R. Crumb, King Of Underground Comics

Fri, 09 May 2025 18:24:41 +0000
R. Crumb created Zap Comix and such characters as Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat. His comics were a staple of the 1960s counterculture, and came out of his nightmares, fantasies and fetishes. There was a time when he wanted to censor that part of himself — but then he took LSD. He told Terry Gross about that experience in a 2005 interview. We'll also hear from his wife Aline Kominsky Crumb, who is also a cartoonist.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews the new Marvel film, Thunderbolts*.

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Having A Child In The Digital Age

Thu, 08 May 2025 19:45:43 +0000
When NYT critic-at-large Amanda Hess learned her unborn child had an abnormality, she turned to the internet — but didn't find reassurance. "My relationship with technology became so much more intense," she says. She talks with Tonya Mosley about pregnancy apps, online forums, and baby gadgets. Her new book is Second Life: Having A Child In The Digital Age.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Daniel Kehlmann's new novel, The Director.

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President Trump's Conflicts Of Interest

Wed, 07 May 2025 18:47:23 +0000
New York Times reporter Eric Lipton says the Trump family businesses, including their crypto company, are capitalizing on the President's position, and creating unprecedented conflicts of interest.

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Michelle Williams Insists On Finding Pleasure & Humor Alongside Pain

Tue, 06 May 2025 18:17:39 +0000
Michelle Williams' FX/Hulu series Dying For Sex follows a woman with terminal cancer who decides to pursue her own sexual pleasure. She says the show is about sex, friendship and "being scared and brave at the same time."

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Sarah Snook Almost Didn't Audition For 'Succession'

Mon, 05 May 2025 18:56:04 +0000
Snook, who played Shiv Roy on Succession, was just nominated for a Tony for playing all the characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway. "I don't know what comes after this," she says. She talks about playing 26 different parts in Dorian, why she almost didn't audition for Succession, and the word she could never quite say in an American accent.

Also, Ken Tucker shares a remembrance of the leader of Pere Ubu, David Thomas.

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Best Of: Inside The Pronatalist Movement / Making Sense Of Trauma

Sat, 03 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
We're diving into the resurgence of the pronatalism movement, the belief that having more babies will save a failing civilization. With new Trump-backed policies promising "baby bonuses" and even a "National Medal of Motherhood," pronatalists are warning that falling U.S. birth rates could mean economic collapse, or even extinction. Sociologist Dr. Karen Guzzo and NPR reporter Lisa Hagen join us to unpack the motivations behind this growing movement.

Also, we'll talk with author Daria Burke. She spent several years digging into the science of how our brains and bodies carry the imprint of early experiences. She wanted to understand the trauma of her childhood.

Plus, Justin Chang reviews the new Cronenberg thriller The Shrouds.

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A Story Of Shipwreck, Mutiny And Murder

Fri, 02 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
David Grann's book, The Wager, is about an 18th century British warship that wrecked on an island after passing through the treacherous waters of Cape Horn. The castaways faced terrible conditions and starvation, and descended into chaos, including cannibalism and mutiny. 81 sailors escaped the island on a makeshift boat, and sailed nearly 3000 miles to Brazil. Only 29 survived. Grann is also the author of Killers of the Flower Moon.

David Bianculli reviews the new Netflix miniseries The Four Seasons, co-created by Tina Fey.

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Terry Gross Remembers Her Late Husband, Francis Davis

Thu, 01 May 2025 18:39:41 +0000
Fresh Air host Terry Gross lost her husband, acclaimed writer Francis Davis, on April 14. They were together for 47 years. Today, she shares some of Francis with the audience, including the story of how they met and became a couple.

Also, we listen back to our 2005 interview with George Clooney. He just received a Tony nomination for his role as Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck on Broadway.

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Baby Bonuses, Trad Wives & The Pronatalist Movement

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 18:32:30 +0000
A once-fringe movement claims having more babies is the only way to save civilization. NPR reporter Lisa Hagen and sociologist Karen Guzzo explain who's empowering pronatalism today.

Plus, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews a new album from Wilco guitarist Nels Cline.

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How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:50:27 +0000
Journalist David Graham says the aim of the creators of the conservative action plan Project 2025 aim is to push the federal government "as far to the right as they can." His new book is The Project.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new PBS documentary about libraries.

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How Trauma Shapes Us

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:29:55 +0000
Daria Burke spent several years digging into the science of how our brains and bodies carry the imprint of early experiences. She wanted to understand the trauma she lived through growing up in 1980s Detroit with a mother who battled addiction. She suffered years of neglect before finding stability through school and rising in the corporate world. In her new memoir, Of My Own Making, she writes about the limits of success, how she was shaped by her past, and the work it took to change course.

Plus, our critic at large, John Powers, reviews The Golden Hour.

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Best Of: 'The Pitt' Star Noah Wyle / 'Sinners' Director Ryan Coogler

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ryan Coogler's movies include both Black Panther films and Creed. His latest fillm, Sinners, is a vampire thriller about twins, both played by Michael B. Jordan, opening a juke joint in 1930s Mississippi. The film explores race, faith, and American history through the lens of horror.

Also, Noah Wyle talks about his starring role in the MAX series The Pitt, about life at a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room. He also played a doctor on the long-running hit ER.

Plus, contributor Carolina Miranda reviews Laila Lalami's suspenseful new novel, The Dream Hotel.

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Merle Haggard On Hopping Trains And Doing Time

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:20:27 +0000
Before he became a musician, Merle Haggard lived the kind of life that's often mythologized in song: Hopping freights and doing prison time. When he became a star, he acquired his own observation car. Now that coach is part of the Virginia Scenic Railway. Terry Gross spoke with Haggard in 1995.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two albums: one's a collection of recordings by Paul Robeson, and the other features the music of Paul Robeson, performed by singer Davóne Tines. Finally, Justin Chang reviews David Cronenberg's new thriller, The Shrouds.

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Are Kids With ADHD Being Treated Effectively?

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:43:59 +0000
ADHD has been considered a medical disorder, treatable with drugs like Ritalin, but New York Times Magazine writer Paul Tough says recent studies question that assumption and treatment options.

Also, Martin Johnson reviews a new tribute to Anthony Braxton, who Johnson says is one of the most polarizing figures in jazz.

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Ryan Coogler Paid A Steep Price For The Films He Made

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:30:09 +0000
The director of Black Panther and Creed talks about his new genre-bending vampire movie that takes place in the Jim Crow South. It's called Sinners and it stars Michael B. Jordan as twins working a juke joint in Mississippi. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about blues music, the supernatural, and why he wanted to own the movie outright after 25 years.

Also, book critic Carolina Miranda reviews The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami.

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America's Path To 'Competitive Authoritarianism'

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:17:47 +0000
Harvard professor of government Steven Levitsky studies how healthy democracies can slip into authoritarianism. He says the Trump administration has already done grave damage: "We are no longer living in a democratic regime."

David Bianculli reviews season 2 of Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal.

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Noah Wyle Is At Home In 'The Pitt'

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:55:44 +0000
After 11 seasons on ER, Noah Wyle thought he was finished with medical dramas: "I spent 15 years avoiding — actively avoiding — walking down what I thought was either hallowed ground or traveled road." But then COVID happened, and he felt compelled to tell more of these stories. He spoke with Dave Davies about the making of The Pitt, the medical jargon, and his mom's feedback on the show.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Poems by Dorothy Parker and The Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla Barnes.

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Best Of: Richard Kind / Melinda French Gates

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
You've seen Richard Kind on countless TV shows and films during his 40-year career — Only Murders in the Building, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Spin City, and A Serious Man, just to name a few. He's now the announcer and sidekick on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. He spoke with Terry Gross about the new gig and why he's glad he's not that famous.

Melinda French Gates also joins us to talk about her new book, The Next Day, which reflects on motherhood, grief, philanthropy, and life after divorce.

John Powers reviews the new Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

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A Love Story At The Center Of The Civil Rights Movement

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 18:14:00 +0000
MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid tells the story of Medgar Evers and his wife Myrlie. Medgar was the NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, a state that lynched more Black people than any other. The risks of the job created a lot of tension in their marriage — and after Medgar's 1963 assassination, Myrlie's fury drove her to be an activist herself.

And film critic Justin Chang reviews Sinners, the new supernatural thriller by director Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan.

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Starvation In American Jail Cells

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:16:00 +0000
New Yorker staff writer Sarah Stillman says she's discovered dozens of cases where people in county jails across the U.S. have died of starvation, dehydration, or related medical crises. Many were people with mental health issues arrested for minor crimes who languished behind bars without treatment, unable to make bail.

Also, we remember renowned jazz critic and Terry Gross' husband, Francis Davis.

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The Real-Life Russian Spies Who Inspired 'The Americans'

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:54:48 +0000
In The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West, journalist Shaun Walker shares how agents were trained to blend into a target country and posed as citizens. Walker tells the story of Andrei Olegovich Bezrukov, aka "Donald," and Elena Vavilova, aka "Tracey," who were embedded in Cambridge, Mass. until a 2010 FBI raid. Even their two children didn't know their parents' true identities.

Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to versatile tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.

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Melinda French Gates On Giving Away Her 'Absurd' Wealth

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 18:54:25 +0000
In a new memoir, billionaire Melinda French Gates writes about the end of her marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and her ongoing philanthropic work, directing funds and attention to women's health initiatives. Her book is The Next Day.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new season of Black Mirror.

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Richard Kind Is Glad He's Not That Famous

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:18:53 +0000
Kind is the announcer and host sidekick on the Netflix show Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You must understand — it's anarchy," he says of the show. He spoke with Terry Gross about having ego but no confidence, working with Sondheim, and working in his father's jewelry store as a teen.

Ken Tucker reviews Kendrick Lamar and SZA's single "Luther."

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Best Of: Jason Isbell / David Tennant

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 07:00:51 +0000
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell sings about his split from musician Amanda Shires on his latest album, Foxes in the Snow. "What I was attempting to do is document a very specific time where I was going through a lot of changes," he tells Terry Gross.

David Bianculli reviews the FX/Hulu series Dying for Sex.

When Scottish actor David Tennant was three, he told his parents he wanted to grow up to play Doctor Who on TV. His dream became a reality — he was Doctor Who for five years and, it turns out, he was suited for lots of other characters, including villains and detectives, and the lead in many Shakespeare plays.

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'Hacks' Returns! With Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:03:40 +0000
The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedy series returns for a fourth season this week. It's about two women — a successful comic/TV personality in her 70s, and her 20-something comedy writer — and the generational clashes that ensue. We're revisiting interviews with stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, and Paul W. Downs who co-created the series and plays their manager.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Warfare, a movie about U.S. Navy SEALs.

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The Dark Secrets Of Johnson & Johnson

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:28:05 +0000
Johnson & Johnson recently lost a bid to settle lawsuits that claimed its talc powder products, including baby powder, caused cancer. Author Gardiner Harris says the company's defense "is beginning to crumble." His book is No More Tears.

Also, John Powers reviews the new Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

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Trump's Tariffs & The Radical Remaking Of The Global Economy

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:31:43 +0000
President Trump's sweeping tariff policy has upended the global economy. Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist, likens it to The Art of the Deal — on steroids.

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The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner Circle

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:43:22 +0000
Author Chris Whipple says Biden's family and closest advisors operated in denial regarding his ability to serve another term: "There's no doubt that they were protecting the president." Whipple spoke with campaign insiders to get a behind-the-scenes look at what happened in 2024. His book is Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.

Our book critic Maureen Corrigan shares an appreciation of The Great Gatsby for its 100th anniversary.

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At 3 Years Old, David Tennant Knew He Wanted To Be Doctor Who

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:49:59 +0000
When David Tennant was three, he told his parents he wanted to grow up to play Doctor Who on TV. As a teen, he held onto that dream: "I was quite weedy and I wore glasses and I had a terrible haircut, so all those things still felt possible in the world of the Doctor. There was something about that character I could be," Tennant tells Sam Briger. He was Doctor Who for five years and, it turns out, he was suited for lots of other characters–including villains and detectives, and the lead in many Shakespeare plays.

Later, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new series Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.

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Best Of: Amanda Knox / 'Adolescence' Co-Creator & Actor Stephen Graham

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 07:00:46 +0000
Amanda Knox was convicted — and ultimately exonerated — for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Italy. Now in a new memoir, Knox explains why getting out of prison was not the end of her saga.

Also, we hear from British actor Stephen Graham. He stars in the Netflix miniseries Adolescence as the father of a 13-year-old boy arrested for murdering a girl from his school. He also co-created the series and talks about the ambitious style in which it was shot — in one long take.

Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Lucy Dacus and Jeffrey Lewis.

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Celebrating 20 Years Of 'The Office'

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:38:58 +0000
It's been 20 years since the debut of NBC's hit mockumentary sitcom The Office. To celebrate the anniversary, we're listening back to Terry Gross' archival interviews with some of the key players: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling and executive producer Greg Daniels. We'll also hear from Ricky Gervais, who co-created and starred the original British version.

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Jason Isbell On Love, Heartbreak & Songwriting

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:20:26 +0000
Isbell sings about his split from musician Amanda Shires on his latest album, Foxes in the Snow. "What I was attempting to do is document a very specific time where I was going through a lot of changes," he says.

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ICE Campus Arrests & The 'Struggle For The Soul' Of America

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:45:15 +0000
As ICE agents arrest international students at campuses across the U.S., immigration law professor Daniel Kanstroom discusses the human cost. He says the round-ups are designed to "send a message... to scare people, and it's working."

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Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Looks For The Silences

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 19:07:27 +0000
As a longtime staff writer at The New Yorker, Hilton Als's essays and profiles of figures like Toni Morrison, Joan Didion, and Richard Pryor have redefined cultural criticism, blending autobiography with literary and social commentary. Als is also a curator. His latest gallery exhibition is The Writing's on the Wall: Language and Silence in the Visual Arts, at the Hill Art Foundation in New York. The exhibit brings together the works of 32 artists across a range of media to examine how artists embrace silence. The show asked a powerful question: What do words — and their absence — look like? The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer spoke with Tonya Mosley.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews new music from Lucy Dacus and Jeffrey Lewis.

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'Adolescence' Co-Creator/Actor Asks Not Whodunnit, But Why

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:36:57 +0000
The Netflix miniseries follows a 13-year-old accused of murdering a girl from his school. Co-creator and star Stephen Graham says he read about similar crimes and wanted to know: "Why is this happening?" Graham spoke with Sam Briger about the crime that inspired the show, fatherhood, and the unusual way the show was shot — in one single take. Graham also stars as a bare-knuckle boxer in the period drama series A Thousand Blows.

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Best Of: A Writer Grapples With A Life-Changing Accident / The Post WWII 'Red Scare'

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Hanif Kureishi began his new memoir just days after a fall left him paralyzed. He describes being completely dependent on others — and the sense of purpose he's gained from writing. The memoir is called Shattered.

David Bianculli reviews the British series Ludwig.

Writer Clay Risen describes a political movement which destroyed the careers of thousands of teachers, civil servants and artists whose beliefs or associations were deemed un-American. His book, Red Scare, is about post-World War II America, but he says there's a throughline connecting that era to our current political moment.

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After A Friend's Suicide, A Writer Inherits His Grieving Dog

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:00:47 +0000
Sigrid Nunez's 2018 novel The Friend won the National Book Award. It's now a film, starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, about a woman who inherits a dog after her friend's suicide. She spoke with Terry Gross about the book in 2019.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new French film thriller Misericordia.

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The Former Jihadist Trying To Remake Syria

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:33:16 +0000
Atlantic writer Robert Worth talks about Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. He was the founder of the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, but is now advocating unity and inclusion. Syria borders Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, so what happens in Syria impacts the whole region. We'll also talk with Worth about the Houthis in Yemen, and the Trump administration group chat that accidentally included Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg.

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Amanda Knox Is 'Free,' But Is That Enough?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:16:41 +0000
Amanda Knox spent nearly four years in an Italian prison for a murder she didn't commit. After her exoneration, she reached out to the man who prosecuted her case. She talks about how she made herself useful while in prison, readjusting to being back home, and the survivor's guilt that follows her. Knox's new memoir is Free.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews The Studio, starring Seth Rogen, on Apple TV+.

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Inside The 'Mad House' Of Congressional Disfunction

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 19:08:41 +0000
The MAGA-controlled 118th House passed only 27 bills that became law — the lowest number since the Great Depression. Journalists Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater examine the chaos in a new book, Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress.

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A Legal Scholar On 10 Laws 'Ruining America'

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:57:52 +0000
Legal scholar Elie Mystal talks about his new book, Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America. From the Hyde Amendment's impact on reproductive rights to laws that shield gun manufacturers, Mystal argues flaws within these laws have made life harder for all of us. We'll talk about immigration law, voting rights, and why the deregulation of the airline industry has made most of us hate the experience of flying.

Also, our TV critic David Bianculli reviews the delightful new mystery series Ludwig, from Britbox.

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Best Of: Seth Rogen / Can The Dems Win Back The Bros?

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Seth Rogen created a new AppleTV+ series, The Studio, which is a satirical look at how executives in Hollywood make decisions on what movies get made. He stars as the head of a fictional Hollywood studio who is trying to save the struggling company.

Also, New Yorker staff writer Andrew Marantz talks about how Right-wing podcasts and YouTube channels have become the platforms where men who feel disillusioned and alienated go to feel seen and heard—and the battle on the Left to win them back.

Plus, rock critic Ken Tucker reviews new songs by Teddy Swims, Benjamin Booker, and Neil Young.

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