Podcasts by Category
Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.
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- 2929 - An 'Exvangelical' On Loving & Leaving The Church
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 18 Mar 2024 - 2928 - Best Of: Jenny Slate / Julio Torres
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 16 Mar 2024 - 2927 - A Maître D' Dishes On The Restaurant Industry
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 15 Mar 2024 - 2926 - What Makes Propaganda Effective?
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 14 Mar 2024 - 2925 - Eugene Levy Is A 'Reluctant Traveler'Schitt's Creek star Eugene Levy visits distant lands and tastes exotic foods as the host of the Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler. Levy describes it as a show about "a guy traveling who doesn't love to travel."
Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Adelle Waldman's new novel, Help Wanted, and David Bianculli reviews a TV show about the Lincoln assassination called Manhunt.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 13 Mar 2024 - 2924 - Jenny Slate
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 12 Mar 2024 - 2923 - Julio Torres Spins Immigration Stress Into Satire
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.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 11 Mar 2024 - 2922 - Best Of: Biden's Last Campaign / Trans Writer Lucy SanteNew Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos recently interviewed Biden for his new profile about the president's accomplishments and failures in office, his current face-off with Trump, and the fears of many voters that he is too old for the job.
Also, we'll hear from writer Lucy Sante. She's been writing books since the 1980s, exploring everything from photography to urban history. In her latest memoir, I Heard Her Call My Name, she writes about coming out as a trans woman in her 60s.
Maureen Corrigan will review Sloane Crosley's new memoir about grief.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 09 Mar 2024 - 2921 - Emma Stone / Mark Ruffalo
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.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 08 Mar 2024 - 2920 - A Veteran Filmmaker Shares Secrets From The Set
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 07 Mar 2024 - 2919 - Biden's Last Campaign
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 06 Mar 2024 - 2918 - A War Reporter Reckons With A Deadly Cancer Diagnosis
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 05 Mar 2024 - 2917 - RuPaul's House Of Hidden Meanings
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 04 Mar 2024 - 2916 - Best Of: The Making Of 'Dune' / Why We Remember
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.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 02 Mar 2024 - 2915 - Paul Giamatti / Remembering Comic Richard Lewis
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 01 Mar 2024 - 2914 - The Impact Of Christian Nationalism On American Democracy
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 29 Feb 2024 - 2913 - 'Dune' Director Denis Villeneuve
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.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 28 Feb 2024 - 2912 - Busy Philipps
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.
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or athttps://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 27 Feb 2024 - 2911 - Why We Remember (And Forget)
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?
For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or at https://plus.npr.org/freshair
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 26 Feb 2024 - 2910 - Best Of: Mark Ruffalo / Jeffrey Wright
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 24 Feb 2024 - 2909 - Bradley Cooper & Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 23 Feb 2024 - 2908 - Trump's Legal Challenges, Explained
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 22 Feb 2024 - 2907 - Writer Lucy Sante On Transitioning In Her Late 60s
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 21 Feb 2024 - 2906 - Jeffrey Wright, From 'Basquiat' To 'American Fiction'
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 20 Feb 2024 - 2905 - The History Of The Oscars
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 19 Feb 2024 - 2904 - Best Of: Molly Ringwald / Busy Philipps
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 17 Feb 2024 - 2903 - Sterling K. Brown / Colman Domingo
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 16 Feb 2024 - 2902 - The Migrant Crisis In NYC
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 15 Feb 2024 - 2901 - Remembering Longtime NPR Host Bob Edwards
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 14 Feb 2024 - 2900 - Mark Ruffalo
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 13 Feb 2024 - 2899 - Molly Ringwald
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 12 Feb 2024 - 2898 - Best Of: The Race Card Project / The Early AIDS Crisis
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 10 Feb 2024 - 2897 - Remembering MC5 Guitarist Wayne Kramer / Carl Weathers
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 09 Feb 2024 - 2896 - The Surprisingly Lax Regulation Of Our Railroads
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 08 Feb 2024 - 2895 - The Life and Legacy Of Medgar & Myrlie Evers
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 07 Feb 2024 - 2894 - A Foster Parent On Loving & Letting Go
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 06 Feb 2024 - 2893 - What Americans Really Think About Race
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 05 Feb 2024 - 2892 - Best Of: Emma Stone / The Birth Of Psychedelic Science
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 03 Feb 2024 - 2891 - 'Oppenheimer' Dir. Christopher Nolan / Mark Ronson On The 'Barbie' SoundtrackOppenheimer and Barbie have been nominated for 13 and 8 Oscars, respectively. We feature our interview with Christopher Nolan, who wrote and directedOppenheimer, about the making of the atomic bomb.
Also, we hear from prolific music producer Mark Ronson about the soundtrack and score of Barbie. He co-wrote one of the songs that's been nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy, "I'm Just Ken."
David Bianculli reviews the latest installment of Ryan Murphy's FX anthology series Feud, this time about Truman Capote.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 02 Feb 2024 - 2890 - The Forgotten Heroes Of The AIDS Crisis
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 01 Feb 2024 - 2889 - Emma Stone
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 31 Jan 2024 - 2888 - Unpacking The Immigration Crisis
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 30 Jan 2024 - 2887 - Inside A Jim Crow-Era Asylum
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 29 Jan 2024 - 2886 - Best Of: Tracee Ellis Ross / Racism In Medicine
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 27 Jan 2024 - 2885 - Remembering Composer Peter Shickeley / Shangri-Las Lead Mary Weiss
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 26 Jan 2024 - 2884 - How The War Between Israel And Hamas Is WideningNew York Times correspondent David Sanger says that Iran and its proxies are posing new challenges: "We're seeing outbreaks of low-level but highly damaging conflict all over the region."
Also, John Powers reviews the new Mexican film Tótem.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 25 Jan 2024 - 2883 - Tracee Ellis Ross
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 24 Jan 2024 - 2882 - How War Changed Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyyTimecorrespondent Simon Shuster has been interviewing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since 2019, when Zelenskyy was still a famous entertainer and satirist. Shuster talks about Zelenskyy's rise to power, the infamous call with Trump that led to Trump's first impeachment, and how the war with Russia has changed him. Shuster's new book is The Showman.
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 23 Jan 2024 - 2881 - Reckoning With Racism In Medicine
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 22 Jan 2024 - 2880 - Best Of: 'Origin' Dir. Ava DuVernay / How Algorithms 'Flatten' Culture
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 20 Jan 2024 - 2879 - A 'Succession' Appreciation
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 19 Jan 2024 - 2878 - The Home Schooling Surge
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 18 Jan 2024 - 2877 - How Algorithms 'Flatten' CultureFilterworld author Kyle Chayka examines the algorithms that dictate what we watch, read and listen to. He argues that machine-guided curation makes us docile consumers.
Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews You Only Call When You're in Trouble, a new novel from Stephen McCauley.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 17 Jan 2024 - 2876 - The Birth Of Psychedelic Science
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 16 Jan 2024 - 2875 - Ava DuVernay Illuminates America's Caste System with 'Origin'
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 15 Jan 2024 - 2874 - The Movement To Dismantle Diversity, Equity & Inclusion InitiativesWashington Post reporter Julian Mark talks about the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay, and the broader movement to dismantle DEI practices in academia and corporate America.
Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews Monsieur Spade,starring Clive Owen on AMC.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 11 Jan 2024 - 2873 - Best Of: Sterling K. Brown / Paul Giamatti
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 13 Jan 2024 - 2872 - Josh Groban's Sweeney Todd
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 12 Jan 2024 - 2871 - Paul Giamatti On 'The Holdovers'
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 10 Jan 2024 - 2870 - The Long Recovery Back From Traumatic Brain Injury
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 09 Jan 2024 - 2869 - Sterling K. Brown
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 08 Jan 2024 - 2868 - Best Of: Making 'Maestro' / A Restaurateur's Journey
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 06 Jan 2024 - 2867 - Remembering The Smothers Brothers, Who Changed TV
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 05 Jan 2024 - 2866 - The Ozempic Revolution
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 04 Jan 2024 - 2865 - Restaurateur Rose Previte's Lessons Learned From Around The World
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 03 Jan 2024 - 2864 - Bradley Cooper & Yannick Nézet-Séguin On 'Maestro'
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 02 Jan 2024 - 2863 - Barbra Streisand
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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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 01 Jan 2024 - 2862 - Taraji P. Henson / Pianist Brad Mehldau
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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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 30 Dec 2023 - 2861 - Jazz With The EarRegulars
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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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 29 Dec 2023 - 2860 - Roots Co-Founder, Black Thought (Tariq Trotter)
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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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 28 Dec 2023 - 2859 - Brooke Shields
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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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 27 Dec 2023 - 2858 - Allison Russell's Road To Self-Love
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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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 26 Dec 2023 - 2857 - Merry Questlove Christmas
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson has put together a playlist of some of his favorite Christmas recordings. Questlove is co-founder of The Roots, which is among other things, is the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Also, roots and rockabilly musician JD McPherson plays some of his own Christmas tunes.
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 25 Dec 2023 - 2856 - Best Of: David Byrne's Xmas Playlist / Nicolas Cage
It's a David Byrne Christmas. The cofounder and frontman of Talking Heads has put together a playlist of his favorite Christmas songs for us.
Also, we'll hear from actor Nicolas Cage. In the new movie Dream Scenario, he plays a college professor who becomes a star on the internet after he mysteriously appears in the dreams of millions of people. He talks about how that relates to his own experience of becoming an internet meme.
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 23 Dec 2023 - 2855 - Timothy Olyphant On 'Justified'
From now until the end of 2023, we're listening back to some stand-out interviews from this year. Timothy Olyphant is best known for portraying lawmen in cowboy hats. He reprises the role of U.S. marshal Raylan Givens in the eight-part sequel, Justified: City Primeval, based on Elmore Leonard's novel. He also played Sheriff Seth Bullock in Deadwood. He spoke with Dave Davies about the roles.
Film critic Justin Chang reviewsThe Zone of Interest.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 22 Dec 2023 - 2854 - Nicolas Cage
Cage has been acting for almost 45 years, and has appeared in more than 100 films. Dream Scenario is one of five scripts he's encountered in his career that he knew, immediately upon reading, he had to take on. He spoke with Dave Davies about becoming a meme, changing his name from Coppola to Cage, and maybe breaking into TV.
Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead remembers composer Carla Bley, who died this year.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 21 Dec 2023 - 2853 - A David Byrne Christmas Special
The singer-songwriter and Talking Heads frontman presents some of his favorite holiday music — including songs by The Pogues, James Brown, LCD Soundsystem and Paul Simon.
The playlist on Apple Music
The playlist on Spotify
Also, David Bianculli shares highlights from TV this year.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 20 Dec 2023 - 2852 - Remembering Actor Andre Braugher
Braugher died of lung cancer last week at age 61. He's best known for his portrayals of police in two opposite genres: in the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which lampooned cop shows, and in the drama series Homicide: Life on the Street.We have two interviews with him — one from 1995 and one from 2006.
Also, Kevin Whitehead shares a remembrance of jazz musicians who died this year.
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 19 Dec 2023 - 2851 - Taraji P. Henson On 'The Color Purple'
This Christmas, the film adaptation of the musical The Color Purple hits the big screen. For award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson, starring as Shug Avery in the American classic is a full circle moment. Henson first saw Steven Spielberg's film version as a high schooler in D.C., and knew from then on that she wanted to be an actor. "I just remember going to the movies, seeing all those Black people on the screen and I was like, 'Oh my God. I want to do that.' " She spoke with Tonya Mosley about the musical, playing Cookie on Empire, and how her acting training at Howard prepared her for Hollywood.
Also, rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new Christmas albums.
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 18 Dec 2023 - 2850 - David Sedaris Can't Wait To Watch You Panic Shop This Week
Humorist and author David Sedaris is a public radio regular – his 'Santaland Diaries' first aired on NPR's Morning Edition in 1992 and has gone on to become a holiday staple. He also is a regular Fresh Air guest, and in a first, we're sharing an exclusive bonus episode with Sedaris – normally only available for our Fresh Air+ supporters – with everyone. If you're not already a Fresh Air+ supporter, enjoying weekly bonus episodes like this andsponsor-free listening on all our episodes, you can find out more at https://plus.npr.org.
You can hear all of Sedaris' 1997 interview here https://n.pr/4agJKmN. Sedaris' 'Santaland Diaries': https://n.pr/3TswxkO. Sedaris in 2022: https://n.pr/3Tm2qvf. Sedaris in 2018: https://n.pr/3Tsevz0. Sedaris in 2017: https://n.pr/48jrebn. Sedaris in 2013 https://n.pr/3GNj937. Sedaris in 2008: https://n.pr/3GL1wks. Sedaris in 2004: https://n.pr/47TsaDA. Sedaris in 2000: https://n.pr/48lw8oy. Sedaris in 1996: https://n.pr/41nfz98. Sedaris in 1994: https://n.pr/3Nw7V6W. Sedaris in 1993 https://n.pr/3Nv0FIf. Hear all 40+ years of Fresh Air's archives: https://FreshAirArchive.org.
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NPR Privacy PolicySun, 17 Dec 2023 - 2849 - Best Of: Colman Domingo On 'Rustin' / Cord Jefferson On 'American Fiction'
Colman Domingo stars 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. Domingo is also starring inThe Color Purple, as Mister, the abusive husband.
Maureen Corrigan shares her picks for the 10 best books of the year.
Also, writer and director Cord Jefferson talks about his new satirical film American Fiction. It's about a Black writer who can't get his novel published because it's not considered "Black enough." Under a pseudonym, he writes the kind of Black novel publishers seem to want.
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 16 Dec 2023 - 2848 - Remembering Norman Lear
The towering TV writer/producer died last week at 101. He created All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude, and a lot more. His TV shows used humor to address subjects not typical for television: racism, homophobia, politics, and generational conflicts. His most enduring character, Archie Bunker, the bigoted father of a working class family in Queens – was partly based on Lear's own father. We'll listen back to our interview with Lear, as well as with Esther Rolle. Initially, she was reluctant to play the role of the maid, Florida, on Maude, but that led to her own spinoff series, Good Times. And we also hear from TV director John Rich, who directed All in the Family.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 15 Dec 2023 - 2847 - Why A Second Trump Term May Be More RadicalNew York Timesreporter Charlie Savage says Trump has a plan — and potentially the backing — to purge the federal bureaucracy, which he disparages as "a deep state that's filled with villains."
Also, film critic Justin Chang shares his top 10 films of the year.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 14 Dec 2023 - 2846 - Facing Death, A Poet Searches For Meaning
Poet and memoirist Christian Wiman has had a rare form of cancer for 18 years. "When death hangs over you for a while, you start to forget about it," he says. Wiman's new book is Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair.
Also, David Bianculli reviews the return of Monk in a new movie on Peacock.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 13 Dec 2023 - 2845 - Cord Jefferson Finds Catharsis With 'American Fiction'
The movie American Fiction is a satire about a Black writer who can't get his latest book published because it's not "Black" enough. He decides to write a book with every offensive Black stereotype he can think of — and gets a $1 million book deal. Screenwriter/director Cord Jefferson says he experienced something similar as a writer in Hollywood.
Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi.
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 12 Dec 2023 - 2844 - Actor Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo stars in two big films this year, in very different roles. In "Rustin," he plays the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. In the new musical adaptation of "The Color Purple" he plays Mister, a cruel and abusive husband.
"I think as artists, as actors, we are always watching," Domingo tells Terry Gross. "We're watching heroes. We're watching ordinary people do extraordinary things every single day. We're watching horrible people do terrible things and be committed to it. ... For me, I didn't build outside of myself, modeling on somebody who did some vicious things or abusers. I have to look within."
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 11 Dec 2023 - 2843 - Best Of: Liz Cheney / Dave Davies
Former congresswoman Liz Cheney says a second Trump presidency would be an "existential threat" to democracy: "There's simply no defense, no excuse for putting that power back in the hands of Donald Trump." Her new memoir is Oath and Honor.
Also, Terry Gross interviews Dave Davies, Fresh Air's longtime fill-in host. He's cutting back on his workload at the show. We're paying tribute to him by listening to clips of some of his memorable interviews.
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 09 Dec 2023 - 2842 - Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow recently broke Elvis' record for performances in Las Vegas, and he has a new Broadway musical called Harmony. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2002 about his hits of the '70s and '80s and writing advertising jingles early in his career.
Film critic Justin Chang reviews the new film Poor Things, starring Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 08 Dec 2023 - 2841 - SNL's Kenan Thompson
In his new book, Kenan Thompson shares stories from his life and career, like his early days at SNL, his estrangement from his longtime co-star Kel Mitchell, and how he was conned by an accountant, lost all of his Nickelodeon money and had to file for bankruptcy. "It's humbling when people in the McDonald's drive-thru line recognize you, and then they also recognize that you're paying for a meal with change," he tells Tonya Mosley. His new book is When I Was Your Age.
Also, John Powers reviews the documentary Anselm.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 07 Dec 2023 - 2840 - Breaking The Menstruation Taboo
More than half of the population menstruates, and yet there is still so much shame and stigma surrounding what is a normal part of life. We talk with filmmaker Lina Lyte Plioplyte about her new documentary Periodical. The film looks at the origins of the cultural stigma around periods. We also talk about period poverty, taxation on menstrual products, and reframing how we think about menopause.
The documentary is streaming on Peacock and airing on MSNBC.
Also, Maureen Corrigan shares her picks for the 10 best books of the year.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 06 Dec 2023 - 2839 - Liz Cheney's Mission To Stop Trump
The former representative says a second Trump presidency would be an "existential threat" to democracy: "There's simply no defense, no excuse for putting that power back in the hands of Donald Trump."
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 05 Dec 2023 - 2838 - Dave Davies Reflects On His Career In Radio & Reporting
Dave Davies, Fresh Air's longtime fill-in host, is cutting back workload on the show. Today we're paying tribute to him — by listening to clips of some of his memorable interviews. And we'll talk about his reporting career in Philadelphia and the odd jobs he had along the way.
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 04 Dec 2023 - 2837 - Best Of: AI's Prejudices / UFOs & Gov't Conspiracies
Computer scientist Joy Buolamwini coined the term the "coded gaze" while in grad school at MIT. As a brown-skinned woman, the facial recognition software program she was working on couldn't detect her face until she put on a white mask. She's written a book about the potential harms of AI — which include the social implications of bias and how it affects everyone.
Also, we'll talk about UFO conspiracy theories with journalist Garrett Graff. He talks with us about how they've led to other conspiracy theories about the government.
And Justin Chang will review the latest film by Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki,The Boy and the Heron.
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 02 Dec 2023 - 2836 - America's WWII-Era Fight Against Fascism
Maddow's new book, Prequel, chronicles the the ultra right-wing groups that sided with Hitler's Germany and plotted to overthrow the U.S. government before World War II. The plot led to the largest sedition trial in American history. The book is also about sitting members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who colluded with a Nazi agent to spread Nazi propaganda to millions of Americans with the help of American taxpayers money. Prequelis based on Maddow's hit podcast series, Ultra.
Also, Justin Chang reviewsThe Boy and the Heron, by Hayao Miyazaki.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 01 Dec 2023 - 2835 - The Gutting Of The Voting Rights Act
Journalist Ari Berman says both the Supreme Court and the lower courts are working to dismantle the 1965 law that's considered one of the most effective pieces of civil rights legislation ever enacted in the U.S. "It's precisely because it worked and because it worked so well that there has been such a dedicated effort for 50 plus years to try to weaken and nullify it," Berman says.
Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews two mysteries: Alexis Soloski's Here in the Darkand The Mystery Guestby Nita Prose.
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NPR Privacy PolicyThu, 30 Nov 2023 - 2834 - How Trump Is Dividing The Evangelical Church
Journalist Tim Alberta grew up in a conservative, republican, evangelical church, where his father was the pastor. He wanted to know why so many evangelical Christians had become extremists, and ardent supporters of Trump. Over the past 4 years, he traveled to churches around the country, reporting on pastors and congregants who backed Trump, and those who felt forced out of their church because they couldn't support him. His new book is The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory.
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NPR Privacy PolicyWed, 29 Nov 2023 - 2833 - Unmasking AI's Racism And Sexism
Computer scientist and AI expert Joy Buolamwini warns that facial recognition technology is riddled with the biases of its creators. She is the author of Unmasking AIand founder of the Algorithmic Justice League. She coined the term "coded gaze," a cousin to the "white gaze" or "male gaze." She says, "This is ... about who has the power to shape technology and whose preferences and priorities are baked in — as well as also, sometimes, whose prejudices are baked in."
Also, we remember former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died at age 96 last week. She spoke with Terry Gross in 1984.
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NPR Privacy PolicyTue, 28 Nov 2023 - 2832 - UFOs: Conspiracy Theories, Secrets & Mysteries
We talk with journalist Garrett Graff about his new book, UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government's Search of Alien Life Here – and Out There.It's about reported sightings, how they've been investigated by the military, what secrets the military keeps and why, and the scientificsearch for extraterrestrial intelligence. He says that the government is absolutely covering up information about what's in the skies, but not for the reasons you may think.
Later, John Powers reviews the new romantic comedy, Fallen Leaves.
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NPR Privacy PolicyMon, 27 Nov 2023 - 2831 - Best Of: The EarRegulars / Playwright Larissa FastHorse
We hear some live music and conversation from two of the best traditional jazz musicians around, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and guitarist Matt Munisteri. In 2007, they founded the band The EarRegulars, who play Sunday nights at a very old bar in Greenwich Village called the EAR Inn. They have a new live album.
David Bianculli reviews the new season of Fargo.
Then we hear from playwright Larissa FastHorse. She's the first known Native American woman to have a show on Broadway with The Thanksgiving Play. It's a satire that pokes fun at political correctness and the way we talk – and think about – indigenous people in America.
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NPR Privacy PolicySat, 25 Nov 2023 - 2830 - Comic Leslie Jones
Leslie Jones says performing stand-up for the first time as a freshman in college felt like putting on a shirt that fit perfectly: "It was just so natural." She spoke with Tonya Mosley about the best advice she got, her bittersweet time at SNL, and why she loves physical comedy. Her memoir isLeslie F*cking Jones.
Also, Justin Chang reviews the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, starring Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan.
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NPR Privacy PolicyFri, 24 Nov 2023
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