Fresh Air

Alua Arthur works with families, caretakers, and people close to death who want to be intentional about the end of life. She's learned through her work and her own experiences with loss that facing the inevitable can help lessen the anxiety and fear so many of us have around death. Her new book is called, Briefly Perfectly Human.

Also, we remember painter Faith Ringgold, who died Saturday at the age of 93.

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Rushdie was onstage at a literary event in 2022 when he was attacked by a man in the audience: "Dying in the company of strangers — that was what was going through my mind." His new book is Knife.

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Growing up, when Diarra Kilpatrick watched murder mystery shows with her grandmother, she never saw Black women driving the narrative. Her new BET+ series seeks to change that. It's called Diarra From Detroit.

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Andrew Scott stars as a con artist with no conscience in the new Netflix series Ripley. It's an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novelThe Talented Mr. Ripley. He spoke with Terry Gross about tapping into his darker side for the role — and playing the "hot priest" in Fleabag.

Also, we hear about how cars became our most gendered technology. Women used to be considered unqualified to drive, or just terrible drivers. Glamorous women were used to advertise cars. And yet cars have been designed for male bodies, in ways that put women drivers at risk. Journalist Nancy Nichols is the author of Women Behind the Wheel.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Lionel Shriver's latest novel, Mania.

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What happens to the body in the deep sea? You need oxygen to survive, but too much oxygen can be deadly. Also, if you rise to the surface too quickly, nitrogen bubbles can form in your body and kill you. We'll talk with author and scientist Rachel Lance, who has conducted research for the military, using a hyperbaric chamber in which the air and the pressure can be controlled to mimic what divers and submarines are exposed to. Her new book is about the scientists whose dangerous experiments about underwater pressure and injury were critical to the success of D-Day. It's called Chamber Divers.

David Bianculli reviews the new series Franklin, starring Michael Douglas as Ben Franklin.

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Linguist Amanda Montell says our brains are overloaded with a constant stream of information that stokes our innate tendency to believe conspiracy theories and mysticism. Her book is The Age of Magical Overthinking.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Lionel Shriver's new novel, Mania.

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Andrew Scott (best known as "hot priest" from Fleabag) plays con artist Tom Ripley in the Netflix adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley. He says his job is to advocate for his characters, not judge them. He spoke with Terry Gross about finding soul in comedy and lightness in drama.

Also, Lloyd Schwartz shares a little-known history of "soundies."

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NCAA/WNBA star Sue Bird spoke with Terry Gross about her career, coming out publicly, and fighting for equity in women's sports. A new documentary about her last season on the court is Sue Bird: In the Clutch.

Also, we hear from Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, co-founders of the punk band Sleater-Kinney. While they were working on their latest album, Little Rope, Brownstein's mother died in an car accident. They'll talk about how the grief affected the album.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews Beyonce's new album, Cowboy Carter.

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HBO's Curb your Enthusiasm comes to an end Sunday night, after 25 years and 12 seasons. We're featuring our interviews with cast members Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Jeff Greene, Susie Essman and more.

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"A lot of things started going wrong from the very beginning," historian Hampton Sides says of Cook's last voyage, which ended in the British explorer's violent death on the island of Hawaii in 1779. His book is The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact, and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook.

Ken Tucker reviews Beyoncé's album Cowboy Carter.

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A global pandemic, school shootings, climate change, war: Children and teenagers are experiencing and being treated for unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression. We talk with founding president of the Child Mind Institute, Dr. Harold Koplewicz, about screen time, suicidal ideation, and testing for ADHD. His latest book is Scaffold Parenting: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant, and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the film La Chimera.

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Retired point guard Sue Bird holds the record for most career assists in the WNBA, with 3,234 over the course of her 19-season professional career. She's also won four WNBA championships, five Olympic gold medals and two NCAA championships. She spoke with Terry Gross about playing overseas in Russia, staying cool under pressure, and her pump-up song for games.

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If you've ever wondered how directors convince stars to appear in their films, or what they do when an actor committed to a lead role suddenly starts throwing up roadblocks, you can ask Ed Zwick. He's a writer, director and producer who's been making TV and movies for decades. His new memoir is Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood.

Also, we'll hear from Eugene Levy. He's appeared in dozens of films, including four satirical movies by Christopher Guest, which he co-wrote. He also starred in the hit comedy series Schitt's Creek. Levy currently stars in The Reluctant Traveler, a series in which he visits distant lands and tastes exotic foods that aren't exactly in his comfort zone.

David Bianculli will review the new documentary about Paul Simon.

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Beyoncé's highly anticipated country album, Cowboy Carter, is out today. One of the musicians on it is fiddle and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens. We'll listen to our 2010 in-studio performance with the group she was part of then, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They played string band and jug band music of the '20s and '30s, music most people associate with a white southern tradition. But the members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops are Black. They saw themselves as part of a little known Black string band tradition— forerunners of modern country music and bluegrass.

John Powers reviews A Gentleman in Moscow, starring Ewan McGregor, which begins streaming today on Paramount+. David Bianculli reviews the new Apple TV+ documentary about Steve Martin.

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Author Nancy Nichols says that for men, cars signify adventure, power and strength. For women, they are about performing domestic duties; there was even a minivan prototype with a washer/dryer inside. Her book is Women Behind the Wheel: An Unexpected and Personal History of the Car.

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In 2020, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs, and mandate more spending on drug treatment and social services. But 3.5 years of frustration, with overdose deaths and open air drug use, has turned public opinion around, and lawmakers have restored criminal penalties. We'll speak with New Yorkercontributing writer E. Tammy Kim, who traveled through the state speaking with activists, treatment providers, police, lawmakers and drug users about the experience, and the ongoing debate over how to respond to America's drug crisis.

Also, Kevin Whitehead remembers classical and pop singer Sarah Vaughan on the 100th anniversary of her birth.

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Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker co-founded the band Sleater-Kinney together 30 years ago, and became an important part of the 1990s feminist punk scene in Olympia, Washington. Rolling Stone once called Sleater-Kinney the best American punk rock band ever. Brownstein and Tucker just released their 11th album, called Little Rope. While they were working on the record, Brownstein's mother died in a car accident. They spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about how the grief affected the album, and what it's like to make music together for decades.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the Netflix series 3 Body Problem.

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Catherine Coldstream spoke with Terry Gross about her years as nun in a Carmelite monastery. She talks about what drew her to the vocation, what it was like to live a silent and obedient life, and why she ran away. Her memoir is called Cloistered.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Percival Everett's new novel, James. It's a reimagining of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

When Mark Daley and his husband became foster parents to two brothers, they fell in love with the children right away. But they also knew that their family could change at any moment. Eventually, the boys were reunified with their biological parents. Daley's memoir is Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family.

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Reporter Jake Adelstein's memoir, Tokyo Vice, is about covering the organized crime beat in Japan. The MAX series (based on the book) is now in its second season. Adelstein spoke with Dave Davies in 2009.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the remake of the '80s film Road House.

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Marijuana has been legalized in some states, but ProPublica's Sebastian Rotella says there's still a thriving illicit market in the U.S., dominated by criminals connected to China's authoritarian government.

Also, John Powers reviews the Romanian film Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World.

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Catherine Coldstream spoke with Terry Gross about her years as nun in a Carmelite monastery. She talks about what drew her to the vocation, what it was like to live a silent and obedient life, and why she ran away. Her memoir is called Cloistered.

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Christine Blasey Ford describes what it was like to come forward and testify that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school. Her 2018 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee threatened to derail his confirmation, but Kavanaugh succeeded in being becoming a supreme court justice. Ford still requires security for protection. After mostly avoiding the media, she's written a memoir. It's called One Way Back.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Percival Everett's new book, James, which reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Finn's enslaved companion.

Finally, we say goodbye to producer Seth Kelley.

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NPR Politics correspondent Sarah McCammon grew up in a white evangelical church that taught her to never question her faith. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her upbringing, how her faith was tested, and her decision to leave the church. She now reports on the Christian right and their support of Donald Trump. McCammon's book is The Exvangelicals.

Also, Justin Chang reviews The Shadowless Tower.

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Jenny Slate talks about childbirth and motherhood, the subjects of her new comedy special, Seasoned Professional. She'll do the voices of some of her animated characters, including Marcel from her Oscar-nominated filmMarcel the Shell with Shoes On.

Also, we hear from comic/actor Julio Torres. Growing up in El Salvador as a gay atheist he says he felt like an alien. Then he literally was labeled an "alien" when he came to the U.S. on a student visa. He's drawn on those experiences to write, direct and star in the new satirical film Problemista.

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Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has worked in several high-end New York City restaurants — adrenaline-fueled workplaces where booze and drugs are plentiful and the health inspector will ruin your day. His memoir is Your Table Is Ready.

Also, Terry shares a remembrance of revered magazine editor William Whitworth. David Bianculli reviewsRestless Dreams, a documentary about Paul Simon.

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We talk with Peter Pomerantsev, whose new book, How to Win an Information War, is about the man he describes as the "forgotten genius" of propaganda. Throughout WWII, Sefton Delmer ran propaganda campaigns for the British against Hitler's regime. Some of those efforts bordered on pornography. We'll also talk about witnessing Putin's use of disinformation when Pomerantsev worked in Russia, and his work as the co-founder of a project documenting Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

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The comic/actor returns. Now she has a 3-year-old daughter, who she sings to in the voice of her character Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Slate spoke with Terry Gross about finding comedy in her feelings, divorce, and growing up in a haunted house. Her new stand-up special on Amazon Prime Video is Seasoned Professional.

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Comic, actor and filmmaker Julio Torres came to the U.S. from El Salvador in his 20s. His new film, Problemista, draws from his personal experience struggling to get a visa. "This movie deals with the problem of immigration, but I think of it as a very silly, happy and joyful movie," he says. Torres talks with Terry Gross about his love of difficult people, collaborating with his mom, and getting started in stand-up.

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Emma Stone has two Oscar nominations for Poor Things:One for best actress and one for best picture, as a producer. She spoke with Terry Gross about working with an intimacy coordinator and why she sees her anxiety as a superpower.

Mark Ruffalo plays a debauched cad opposite Emma Stone in the movie. The role was a big departure from his previous work playing real people, in dramas like Spotlight or Foxcatcher, or as the Incredible Hulk in the Marvel movies. The Oscar-nominated actor spoke with Sam Briger.

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Writer, director and producer Ed Zwick has made dozens of films and TV shows including Legends of the Fall, The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond. In his memoir, Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions, he writes about studios, actors and the frustrations and joys of the business.

John Powers reviews the pulpy noir crime film Love Lies Bleeding.

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In a wide-ranging conversation with The New Yorker, President Biden proclaimed that he is the best option to beat Donald Trump — despite polls indicating he is falling behind. We talk with Evan Osnos about Biden's outlook. Among the things that Americans are unsure of are Biden's age, his mental agility, his handling of immigration, and the war in Gaza.

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As a war correspondent, Rod Nordland faced death many times over. But in 2019, Nordland confronted a different type of danger when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most lethal form of brain tumor. "I had to face the reality that my death was within a fairly short timespan, highly probable," he says. "I think it made me a better person." His new memoir is Waiting for the Monsoon.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Sloane Crosley's new memoir Grief Is For People.

And David Bianculli reviews Jon Stewart's return to The Daily Show, and the new season of John Oliver's Last Week Tonight.

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The Emmy-winning host of RuPaul's Drag Racedescribes himself as "an introvert masquerading as an extrovert."In a new memoir, he writes about growing up Black and queer in San Diego. And how he forged a new and glamorous identity in the punk rock and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York City. The memoir is titled The House of Hidden Meanings.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews a new oral history of the Village Voice.

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Denis Villeneuve remembers watching the 1984 movie version of Frank Herbert's 1965 sci-fi novel Duneand thinking, "Someday, someone else will do it again" — not realizing he would be that filmmaker. He spoke to Sam Briger about shooting Dune in the desert and his love of silent film.

Ken Tucker reviews a new solo album from guitarist Mary Timony.

Neuroscientist Dr. Charan Ranganath's book is Why We Remember. We talk about how stress affects memory and what's happening in the brain when something's on the tip of your tongue.

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Paul Giamatti stars in The Holdovers as a pompous and disliked teacher at a boys boarding school in the '70s. He's now up for an Oscar for best actor. Giamatti spoke with Sam Briger about the role and reuniting with director Alexander Payne, 20 years after Sideways.

Also, we remember comic and Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Richard Lewis, who died Feb. 27. The Brooklyn-born comic made his standup debut in 1971. His routines were full of biting takes on love, life, and physical and mental health. Lewis spoke with Terry Gross in 1988 and 2000.

Also, Justin Chang reviews Dune: Part Two.

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Why do many Christian nationalists think Trump is chosen by God to lead the country? We talk with Bradley Onishi about the ties between Christian nationalism and political and judicial leaders. Onishi became a Christian nationalist and a youth minister in his teens and then left the church. He is the author ofPreparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism — and What Comes Next, and he cohosts a podcast about religion and politics called Straight White American Jesus.

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Villeneuve remembers watching the 1984 movie version of Frank Herbert's 1965 sci-fi novel Duneand thinking, "Someday someone else will do it again" — not realizing he would be that filmmaker. He spoke to Sam Briger about shooting Dune in the desert, depicting sandworm surfing, and his love of silent film.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new CBS murder mystery series, Elsbeth.

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Busy Philipps plays Mrs. George, a "cool mom" seeking the approval of her teen daughter in the new movie musical version of Mean Girls. Philipps got her start in acting as a teen on the series Freaks and Geeks. She spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about sexism in Hollywood, collaborating with Tina Fey, and the best friendship advice her mom gave her.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews a new solo album from Mary Timony, and David Biacnulli reviews the series Shōgun.

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Charan Ranganath recently wrote an op-ed about President Biden's memory gaffes. He says forgetting is a normal part of aging. We also talk about PTSD, how stress affects memory, and what's happening when something's on the tip of your tongue. His new book is Why We Remember.

Also, John Powers reviews Cocktails with George and Martha: Movies, Marriage, and the Making of Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

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Mark Ruffalo is nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role inPoor Things. He plays a hilarious debauched lawyer who seduces Emma Stone's character. Ruffalo has also appeared in Marvel movies as the Incredible Hulk. For that role he had to act in a motion capture suit. "It's the man-canceling suit. It makes you look big where you want to look small, and small where want to look big," he says.

Also, we hear from Jeffrey Wright. He's up for an Oscar for best actor for his role in American Fiction, where he plays a novelist who's frustrated with the publishing industry's expectations of Black authors. He cynically writes a book under a pseudonym that's full of clichés, like violence and poverty — and it's a hit.

Maureen Corrigan reviews an off-beat bestselling Japanese mystery series.

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In his Oscar-nominated biopic Maestro, Bradley Cooper was determined not to imitate the legendary Leonard Bernstein. Instead, the actor worked with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin to find his own rhythm. They spoke with Terry Gross about conducting, Bernstein's legacy, and playing with batons when they were kids.

Also, Justin Chang reviews Italy's submission for best foreign film, Io Capitano.

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As Donald Trump seeks to gain the Republican presidential nomination, he faces 91 felony charges across four states and several lawsuits, many with dates in court that run right up to the election. We talk with reporter Alan Feuer, who is part of the team at the New York Timescovering Trump's legal battles. The first of four criminal case trials is expected to start on March 25.

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Lucy Sante has been writing books since the 1980s, exploring everything from photography to urban history. In a new memoir, she shares her story of transition from male to female at 67 years old. "I am lucky to have survived my own repression," Sante says. "I think a lot of people in my position have not." The book is titled I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Apple TV+ series Constellation.

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Wright is up for an Oscar for best actor this year for the film American Fiction, where he plays a novelist who's frustrated with the publishing industry's expectations of Black authors. He cynically writes a book under a pseudonym that's full of clichés, like drug abuse, violence, and poverty — and it's a hit. Wright's first starring role was in the 1996 film Basquiat. He talks with us about his big break in the play Angels in America, and the time early in his career when he was acting opposite Sidney Poitier and asked for advice on acting.

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From relentless campaigning to snubs and speeches, the Academy Awards have often reflected a cultural conflict zone. Michael Schulman sifts through the controversies in his book, Oscar Wars.

Maureen Corrigan reviews The Kamogawa Food Detectivesby Hisashi Kashiwai.

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Actress Molly Ringwald came to represent '80s teen angst after starring in Sixteen Candles,The Breakfast Club, andPretty in Pink.She's now in the new series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, about the high society women that Truman Capote loved and betrayed.

Also, we hear from another actor who got her start as a teen — Busy Philipps. In the '90s, she played tough girl Kim Kelly in Freaks and Geeks. Philipps' latest project is the movie musical Mean Girlswhere she plays a mom trying to be young and cool.

John Powers reviews the new Vim Venders film Perfect Days.

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Sterling K. Brown won an Emmy for his portrayal of Christopher Darden in The People v. O.J. Simpson,and another for This Is Us. He's now nominated for an Oscar for his performance in American Fiction.

Colman Domingo is also nominated, for his role in the biopicRustin as Bayard Rustin, the civil rights leader responsible for organizing the 1963 March on Washington.Rustin was forced into the background because he was gay.

Justin Chang reviews Drift, starring Cynthia Erivo.


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How is New York City coping with the 175,000 migrants from the Southern border? New York Times reporter Andy Newman says the city's legal mandate to provide shelter to any who need it is being tested by a stream of migrants — some of whom were sent on buses by Southern governors.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Francis Spufford's Cahokia Jazz.

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We remember Peabody award-winning broadcast journalist Bob Edwards, who died on Saturday at the age of 76. He was the first and longest-serving host of NPR's Morning Edition, from the show's inception in 1979 until 2004. Terry Gross recorded two interviews with Edwards.

Also, John Powers review Perfect Days, the new film from director Wim Wenders.

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Ruffalo plays a debauched cad in Yorgos Lanthimos' bawdy, dark comedyPoor Things. The role was a big departure from his previous work playing real people in dramas like Spotlight or Foxcatcher, or as the Incredible Hulk in the Marvel movies. The Oscar-nominated actor spoke with Sam Briger about these roles, how he got his start in acting, and how a brain tumor changed his life.

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Molly Ringwald became a film icon in the '80s after starring in a trio of films: Sixteen Candles,The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink."I don't like to use the word iconic because it's overused — but they really are. Those films are really iconic," she tells Tonya Mosley.Now she's in the new Ryan Murphy series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, about the high society women that novelist Truman Capote loved and betrayed.

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Journalist Michele Norris has spent the last 14 years collecting what she describes as "an archive of the human experience" with The Race Card Project. She wanted to see how Americans really talk and think about race, so she asked people to share their thoughts in six words. Norris adapted the project into a memoir called Our Hidden Conversations.

Also, we'll hear from Kai Wright, host of the WNYC podcast Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows about the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when so little was known about HIV, and so much was misunderstood.

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We remember Wayne Kramer, the guitarist of the late '60s proto-punk band MC5. The revolutionary band's idols were the Black Panther party, Malcolm X and John Coltrane. Kramer died last week at 75. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2002.

Also we listen back to our 1988 interview with actor Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in theRocky movies. He died at 76.

Justin Chang reviews the French film The Taste of Things.

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Award-winning ProPublicareporter Topher Sanders has spent the last two years investigating America's aging freight train system. He says the Federal Railroad Administration monitors "less than 1% of what's happening on the rails." Sanders talks about the toxic East Palestine, OH derailment, the prevalence of blocked railroad crossings, and why railway safety legislation is yet to be passed.

Also, rock critic Ken Tucker shares three new songs.

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The civil rights leader Medgar Evers is maybe more known for his assassination in 1963 than the work he did to fight for voting rights and desegregation. MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid tells the story of Medgar and his wife Myrlie in a new book. Evers 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 death, Myrlie's fury drove her to be an activist herself.

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When Mark Daley and his husband, Jason, became foster parents to two brothers, they fell in love with the children right away. But Daley and his husband also know that their family could change at any moment. Eventually, the boys were reunified with their biological parents. Daley's memoir is Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family. Daley talks about the foster care system at large, as well as the joy and pain he and Jason experienced as foster parents.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reflects on Curb Your Enthusiasm, as it enters its 12th and final season.

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Journalist Michele Norris has spent the last 14 years collecting what she calls "an archive of the human experience." She wanted to see how Americans really talk and think about race, so she asked people to share their thoughts in six words. The results were overwhelming. Eventually, the project moved online and got more than half a million entries from over 100 countries. Norris turned the project into a new book called Our Hidden Conversations.

Also, John Powers reviews a biography of Frantz Fanon, by Adam Shatz.

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Emma Stone is nominated for an Oscar for her starring role in Poor Things. She spoke with Terry Gross about the film and her relationship to her anxiety.

David Bianculli reviews Ryan Murphy's FX anthology series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.

Also, Benjamin Breen talks about his book, Tripping on Utopia: Margaret Mead, the Cold War, and the Troubled Birth of Psychedelic Science. It's about the pioneering work anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson did on the use of psychedelics as a way to expand consciousness, and how that later connected to government research on the use of psychedelics as a weapon.

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Kai Wright's WNYC podcast, Blindspot, revisits the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, focusing in particular on populations that are frequently overlooked — including the pediatric patients at Harlem Hospital.

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Stone has two Oscar nominations for Poor Things:One for best actress and one for best picture, as a producer. She spoke with Terry Gross about working with an intimacy coordinator, why she sees her anxiety as a superpower, and how Superbad changed her life.

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Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly from Central America, arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border every year. What to do with these migrants is one of the most divisive issues in Washington. New Yorker staff writer Jonathan Blitzer says the crisis is partially the result of decades of American policy. Blitzer's new book is called Everyone Who is Gone is Here. He also recounts the stories of those attempting to cross the border.

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NBC journalist Antonia Hylton spent more than a decade piecing together the history of Maryland's first segregated asylum, where Black patients were forced into manual labor. Her new book is Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum.

Also, Ken Tucker reviews the new album The Interrogator from The Paranoid Style.

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Tracee Ellis Ross co-stars in the new movie American Fiction, which is nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture. For eight seasons, she starred in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. Ross played the mother, Bow, and she worked with the writers to make sure her character wasn't just what she calls "wife wallpaper." She spoke with Tonya Mosley about those roles.

Also, Dr. Uché Blackstock talks about her new book, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism In Medicine.

Maureen Corrigan reviews the debut novel Martyr!from Iranian American poet Kaveh Akbar.

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We remember composer and classical music satirist Peter Schickele, whose alter ego was "P.D.Q. Bach." His comic music arrangements were funny, but the level of musicianship was no joke. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1985.

Also, we remember Mary Weiss, lead singer of the Shangri-Las, the girl group whose biggest hit was "Leader of the Pack." From working-class Queens, they acquired a tough girl image, in contrast to the glamor girl groups of the era. Weiss was on Fresh Air in 2007 when she released a solo album.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews Masters of the Air, the new World War II series from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks on Apple TV+.

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Tracee Ellis Ross co-stars in the Oscar-nominated movie American Fiction. For eight seasons, she starred in the ABC comedy seriesBlack-ish. We talk about her new projects, her superstar mother, Diana Ross, and forging her own path outside of her mother's success. We also talk about how she's come to embrace, at 51, never having children or being married.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the new Vietnamese drama Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell and book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Kahveh Akbar's debut novel Martyr!

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Dr. Uché Blackstock was one of the first doctors to raise the alarm that COVID-19 was disproportionately impacting Black people. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about how medical schools contribute to inequities in health care, and what we can do about it. Her book isLegacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.


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Ava DuVernay's new film Origin explores a new way to consider the historical subjugation of Black people in America: as the adverse result of a caste system. The film is inspired by Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.In the movie, Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about caste, traveling to Germany and India to get to the root of the Black experience in America.

Also, we'll talk about how algorithms flatten culture with journalist Kyle Chayka. He says algorithms affect every aspect of our lives — from what we watch on Netflix, what songs are at the top of the charts, to what our local coffee shop looks like. His book is Filterworld.

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HBO's Succession swept at the Emmys, winning six awards for its fourth and final season. We compiled interviews with show creator/head writer Jesse Armstrong and actors Kieran Culkin and Matthew Macfadyen.

Also, David Bianculli reflects on the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos.

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Home schooling is now America's fastest growing form of education, but Washington Post reporter Peter Jamison tells Dave Davies, "It's remarkable how little oversight there is of home-schooled children."

Also, we remember TV critic Tom Shales.

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You may have heard about the pioneering research of anthropologist Margaret Mead, but do you know about her work with psychedelics? Mead and her husband, Gregory Bateson, thought psychedelics might reshape humanity by expanding consciousness. We'll speak with author Benjamin Breen about that research and how it led to the CIA's secret experiments in the '50s and '60s, using psychedelics in interrogation. He also shares with us details about a NASA-funded experiment to try to get dolphins to talk by giving them LSD. His book is Tripping on Utopia.

Also, John Powers reviews the Apple TV+ series Criminal Record.

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Award-winning director Ava DuVernay's new film Origin explores a new way to consider the historical subjugation of Black people in America: As the adverse result of a caste system.The film is inspired by Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.In the movie, Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about caste - traveling to Germany and India to get to the root of the Black experience in America. DuVernay also directed 13th, When They See Us, and Selma.

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Actor Sterling K. Brown co-stars in the new film American Fiction. We'll talk about his role in that, as well as playing O.J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden.

Also, we'll hear from Paul Giamatti. He just won a Golden Globe for his role in The Holdovers, as a pompous and disliked teacher at a boys boarding school. The Holdoversis the second collaboration between Giamatti and director Alexander Payne. The first was the surprise hit movie Sideways.

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The Grammy-Award winning baritone first auditioned to play the Demon Barber of Fleet Street back in high school. He didn't get the part then; but he starred in in the latest Broadway revival. Groban will leave the role this month. He spoke withFresh Air's Ann Marie Baldonado about his affinity for Stephen Sondheim, poking fun at his own image on TV, and starting his singing career as a teen.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new film Memory.

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Giamatti says his latest movie, filmed at various prep schools in Massachusetts and directed by Alexander Payne, triggered memories of the time he spent as a day student at a private school. He spoke with Sam Briger about his reunion with Payne after 20 years,Billions, and what he loves about acting.

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Annie Liontas experienced three brain injuries in the span of one year, which led to dizziness, memory fog and anger — and impacted Liontas' marriage and sex life. Their memoir is Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery.

Also, David Bianculli reviews HBO's True Detective: Night Countrystarring Jodie Foster Kali Reis.

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Brown won an Emmy for his portrayal of Christopher Darden in The People v. O.J. Simpson,and another for This Is Us. He now appears in the film American Fiction. He spoke with Terry Gross about losing his father, how his feelings about the O.J. Simpson case changed, and prejudice he faced in Hollywood.

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Bradley Cooper talks about writing, directing, and starring in the new film Maestro, in which he portrays conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. Also with us is conducting consultant Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The film focuses on Bernstein's music and his relationship with his wife, including the friction caused by his affairs with men.

Also, we hear from restaurateur Rose Previte, author of the new cookbook Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond.

And Justin Chang reviews Memory,starring Peter Sarsgaard and Jessica Chastain.

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We remember Tom Smothers, of the comic folk duo the Smothers Brothers, who died last week at the age of 86. Their popular TV variety show in the late 1960s captured the spirit of the counterculture, and was often censored by network execs. We feature our interview with Tom and Dick Smothers and have an appreciation by TV critic David Bianculli.

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Bloomberg News reporter Emma Court explains how these so-called "miracle" weight loss drugs work, and discusses side effects, long-term impacts, and what it all means for the body positivity movement.

Also, John Powers reviews Michelle Yeoh's Netflix comedy-thriller series The Brothers Sun.

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In her new cookbook, Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond,Rose Previte writes about what it's like to be a women restauranteur in a male-dominated industry, and what it was like to grow up in rural Ohio in a Sicilian-Lebanese household. She shares her mother's staple recipes and dishes she learned from other women from around the world.

Also, we remember Full Monty actor Tom Wilkinson, who died on last week at the age of 75.

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In his new biopic Maestro, Bradley Cooper was determined not to imitate the legendary Leonard Bernstein. Instead, the actor worked with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin to find his own rhythm. They spoke with Terry Gross about conducting, Bernstein's legacy, and playing with batons when they were kids.

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We start the new year with Barbra Streisand, and listen back to the interview we recorded in November. Throughout her career, her mother would send her bad reviews of her performances. The intention was to prevent Barbra from getting a "swelled head," but they also served as fuel for a woman who was determined to be a star.

Later, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Prophet Song, the novel that won the 2023 Booker Prize.

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Taraji P. Henson stars as jazz singer Shug Avery in the new musical adaptation ofThe Color Purple. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about what the play means to her. Also, we'll hear from Brad Mehldau, one of the most acclaimed and influential jazz pianists of his generation. He joins us at the piano, for music and conversation. And Justin Chang will share his list of the best movies of 2023.

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Our dark week continues with a performance by and conversation with two of the best traditional jazz musicians around, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and guitarist Matt Munisteri. In 2007, they founded the band The EarRegulars which plays Sunday nights at a very old bar in Greenwich Village called the EAR inn. They spoke with Fresh Air producer Sam Briger.

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We continue our series of some of our favorite interviews of the year with co-founder and lead MC of the Roots, Tariq Trotter, a.k.a. Black Thought. When Trotter was a teen, he experienced one of the biggest tragedies of his life, the murder of his mother, and it was his friend and creative partner Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson who took him in. Together they co-founded The Roots. We talk about growing up in Philly and landing the house band gig at The Tonight Show. His memoir is called The Upcycled Self.

Later, critic Nick Quah takes a look back at the year in podcasts.

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When Shields was 11 months old, she was in soap commercials and print ads. At the age of 12, she starred as a child prostitute in the film Pretty Baby. In her teens, she modeled jeans for Calvin Klein and became a household name. A Hulu documentary examines how she was sexually objectified as a child and teen actress. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her life and career.

Rock critic Ken Tucker shares two great albums that he feels were overlooked this year.

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Canadian musician Allison Russell talks and sings about the abuse she endured from her racist adoptive father — and about how she learned she was worthy of being loved. Her 2023 album is The Returner.

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