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. Subscribe to Fresh Air Plus! You'll be supporting the unique show you can't get enough of - and you can listen sponsor-free. Learn more at plus.npr.org/freshair

Fresh Air

The final season of the HBO series Succession begins Sunday. We listen back to our interviews with Brian Cox, who plays Logan Roy the patriarch in a family-owned business empire, Kieran Culkin, who plays Roman, the immature and jokey son, and Matthew Macfadyen, who plays the put-upon son-in-law Tom Wambsgans.

'Succession' Stars Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin & Matthew Macfadyen

Linda Simpson performed in and chronicled the New York drag scene in the '80s and '90s, taking some 5,000 photos of performers. Her collection is called The Drag Explosion. She says Tennessee's anti-drag legislation is "ridiculous." Also, we remember late Episcopal Bishop Frank Griswold. He presided over the ordination of the church's first openly gay bishop. He died earlier this month. John Powers reviews the new Netflix thriller series The Night Agent.

NYC Drag Queen & Photographer Linda Simpson

Ari Shapiro co-hosts NPR's All Things Considered, co-stars in a cabaret act with Alan Cumming, and sings with the band Pink Martini. Now, he's written a book, a memoir called The Best Strangers in the World.

Ari Shapiro: On-Air, On-Stage & On-Page

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond says if the top 1% of Americans paid the taxes they owed, it would raise $175 billion each year: "That is just about enough to pull everyone out of poverty." His new book is Poverty, by America. Also Ken Tucker shares three songs: Iris DeMent's "Goin' Down to Sing in Texas," Sunny War's "Love's Death Bed," and Margo Price's "Radio."

How The Affluent Benefit From The Poor

Billy Crudup stars as a fast-talking salesman — selling timeshares on the moon to frustrated earthlings — in the Apple TV+ series Hello Tomorrow! We also talk about going to rock star camp for his role in Almost Famous, his iconic Mastercard commercials, and The Morning Show.

Billy Crudup

Memphis drag queen Bella DuBalle says the legislators behind a new Tennessee law criminalizing public drag shows don't understand the art. We talk with the native Tennessean about the law, performing for kids, and how her livelihood and safety are at risk. Maureen Corrigan reflects on 40 years of Nora Ephron's Heartburn and recommends a new comic novel. Actor Clancy Brown has been working since the 1980s and has played some memorable villains over the years in movies, including Shawshank Redemption, Highlander and, coming out later this month, John Wick: Chapter 4. But he may be best known as the voice of Mr. Krabs on the animated show Spongebob Squarepants.

Best Of: Memphis Drag Queen Bella DuBalle / Character Actor Clancy Brown

Michelle Yeoh made history last week, becoming the first Asian woman to win an Oscar for best actress. We'll hear our interview with Yeoh about Everything Everywhere All At Once. Yeoh has also starred in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, and Crazy Rich Asians. We'll also hear our interview with Adam Sandler. He's this year's recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Sandler talks about playing a jewelry store owner in the film Uncut Gems, and his music comedy. David Bianculli reviews Lucky Hank starring Bob Odenkirk.

Michelle Yeoh / Adam Sandler

Bella DuBalle says the legislators behind a new Tennessee law criminalizing public drag shows don't understand the art: "They think that every drag performer is doing something hypersexual or obscene." We talk with the native Tennessean about the law, performing for kids, and how her livelihood and safety are at risk. Also, Maureen Corrigan celebrates the 40th anniversary of Nora Ephron's Heartburn and shares a new comic novel, Pineapple Street.

Memphis Drag Queen Bella DuBalle Won't Be Silenced By New Law

Many of Ricardo Nuila's patients at Houston's Ben Taub Hospital are dealing with serious illnesses as a result of not being able to access basic preventive care. His new book is The People's Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine.

Inside A Safety-Net Hospital That Treats The Poor And Uninsured 

Actor Clancy Brown has been working since the 1980s and has played some memorable villains over the years in movies, including Shawshank Redemption, Highlander and, coming out later this month, John Wick 4. But he may be best known as the voice of Mr. Krabs on the animated show Spongebob Squarepants. Kevin Whitehead revies the new jazz recording by Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding, and John Powers reviews the new novel Birnam Wood by Booker Prize-winner Eleanor Catton.

Character & Voice Actor Clancy Brown

Karen Fine talks about practicing Chinese medicine and acupuncture on sick pets, what "ADR" stands for, and the mental health issues many veterinarians face. Her new book is The Other Family Doctor. Also, Ken Tucker reviews Caroline Polachek's new album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You.

A Veterinarian Shares What Animals Have Taught Her

Writer Thomas Mallon talks about his diaries that were recently published in the New Yorker, titled Finding My Way– and Staying Alive — During the Aids Crisis. Mallon's latest novel, Up With the Sun, is based on the life and murder of Dick Kallman, a closeted actor in the 1950s and '60s. Critic John Powers reviews the film Return to Seoul. Also, we hear from Dr. Farzon Nahvi. He has a new memoir about his experiences in the ER, and his frustrations with American healthcare during COVID. It's called Code Gray: Death, Life and Uncertainty in the ER.

Best Of: Thomas Mallon's Diaries / Life & Death In The ER

We explore the subtle genius of a man often remembered for pratfalls and sight gags. Buster Keaton was a silent film star in the 1920s, but he was far more than an actor and stuntman. He conceived and directed his films, cited by some of America's leading filmmakers as inspirations. We speak with Slate film critic Dana Stevens, whose book examines Keaton's work and influence, and chronicles his colorful life. Her book, Camera Man, is now out in paperback. Justin Chang reviews the new film Palm Trees & Power Lines.

Revisiting The Genius Of Buster Keaton

Mallon talks about his diaries that were recently published in the New Yorker, in a piece titled Finding My Way — and Staying Alive — During the AIDS Crisis: A Diary of 1980s Manhattan. He was in his thirties then. His latest novel, Up With the Sun, is based on the life and murder of Dick Kallman, a closeted actor in the 1950s and '60s.

Writer Thomas Mallon On His AIDS-Era Diaries

Science writer Sally Adee says scientists are experimenting with ways to manipulate the body's natural electrical fields to try and treat wounds, depression, paralysis, and cancer. Her new book is We Are Electric. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has an appreciation of Wayne Shorter, who died March 2. John Powers reviews the film Return to Seoul.

Harnessing The Electricity In The Human Body

We look back on the life of Jimmy Carter. He is spending his remaining time at home, under hospice care. Carter was elected president in 1976, and lost his re-election campaign to Ronald Reagan. He was later praised for redefining the meaning and purpose of the post-presidency. He talked with Terry Gross about why he entered politics, his presidency, his work negotiating with tyrants, his faith, and his reflections on aging.

President Jimmy Carter

UCLA law professor Joanna Schwartz talks about the legal protections — including qualified immunity and no-knock warrants — that have protected officers from the repercussions of abuse. Her book is Shielded. Also, David Bianculli reviews Mel Brooks' History of the World Part II on Hulu.

How The Police Became Untouchable

In Tár, Cate Blanchett plays a charismatic orchestra conductor who uses her power to take sexual advantage of young women she's mentoring. Tár is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director. Maureen Corrigan reviews I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. Ke Huy Quan starred in the '80s films Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies as a kid, before quitting acting. Now he's up for an Oscar for the first major acting job he's had in decades for the role of Waymond in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Best Of: Cate Blanchett & Todd Field On 'Tár' / Actor Ke Huy Quan

We pay tribute to Doc Watson on the centennial of his birth. The pioneering bluegrass, country and folk guitarist and singer changed the way people around the world think about mountain music. In his prime, he was considered the greatest guitar flat picker. We'll listen back to our 1988 interview, and his 1989 performance on our show. Also, John Powers reviews the new season of Perry Mason.

A Tribute To Bluegrass Guitarist Doc Watson

Journalist Will Sommer went to road shows and spoke to believers and their families while investigating QAnon. His book, Trust the Plan, makes the case that there are more conspiracy theories to come.

The Rise Of QAnon

In Tár, Cate Blanchett plays a charismatic orchestra conductor who uses her power to take sexual advantage of young women she's mentoring. "For me, it was never really about classical music," director Todd Field says. "And it was about ... how do you look at power and why does power exist? And it's not a uni-directional situation. Nobody holds power alone. There's a complicity in it." Tár is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the literary thriller I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai.

Cate Blanchett & Dir. Todd Field On Tár

We talk about a small group of unelected officials who make important decisions that affect our lives, all the time. New York Times reporter Jeanna Smialek covers the Federal Reserve, which manages the nation's money supply, and is currently struggling to get inflation down by raising interest rates. Smialek says the Fed wields enormous influence, and is growing more powerful as it responds to national crises, including the financial meltdown and the pandemic. Her new book is Limitless. Podcast critic Nick Quah reviews the new season from Serial called The Coldest Case in Laramie.

How The Fed Is Growing More Powerful 

Quan starred in the '80s films Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies as a kid, before quitting acting. Now he's up for an Oscar for the first major acting job he's had in decades for the role of Waymond in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Justin Chang reviews the Irish film The Quiet Girl.

Ke Huy Quan On 'Everything Everywhere'

We'll talk with New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman about his new book, Oscar Wars. It's about the ongoing conflicts surrounding race, gender, and representation in Hollywood, as well as earlier conflicts dating back to the founding of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Also, we'll hear from comic and podcaster Marc Maron. In his new HBO comedy special, From Bleak to Dark, he talks about climate change, anti-Semitism, and processing the sudden death of his girlfriend, Lynn Shelton. John Powers reviews the documentary, All That Breathes, about two brothers devoted to rescuing birds in Delhi, India.

Best Of: 'Oscar Wars' / Marc Maron

We remember two accomplished performers from different fields: Sharp-witted comedian Richard Belzer, probably best-known for playing the dramatic role of Detective John Munch on Law & Order, and major-league catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster Tim McCarver. Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews Hello Tomorrow! starring Billy Crudup.

Remembering Richard Belzer & Tim McCarver

Guardian journalist Shaun Walker talks about Yevgeny Prigozhin, the tough-talking convict-turned-businessman who recruits soldiers from Russian prisons to fight in Ukraine. "It's just so out of the realms of fantasy that this former convict is going to fly around prisons in his helicopter and offer people salvation for fighting for him at the front, and then lead these battalions of prisoners to their almost certain death," He says. "It's so dystopian that it's really hard to believe. But yet it has happened."

How An Ex-Con & Caterer Became Putin's Trusted Warlord 

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 new book, Oscar Wars. Also, Kevin Whitehead shares a remembrance of Burt Bacharach.

The 'Gold, Sweat, And Tears' Behind The Oscars

Dr. Farzon Nahvi spent the early months of the pandemic as an emergency room physician in Manhattan. He talks about trying to improvise treatments during that time. His new book is Code Gray. Also, David Bianculli reflects on 10 years of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Life, Death & Uncertainty In The ER

For President's Day, we speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Robert Caro about the life of Lyndon Johnson. To understand his subject, Caro moved to the Texas Hill country to meet friends and associates of Johnson from his early years. At age 87, Caro is still working on the last volume of his Johnson biography.

Robert Caro On LBJ

What do great conductors listen to when they're not on the podium? Philadelphia Orchestra/Met Opera conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin made a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/15/1156702559/from-beyonce-to-debussy-yannick-nezet-seguin-shares-music-that-inspires-him">playlist</a>, specifically for Fresh Air, of music that inspires him. It includes a surprising mix of pop, hip-hop and classical music — and includes a song that his cats love. In the last 30 years, Ruth E. Carter has produced some of the most iconic looks in the Black film canon and beyond. She won an Academy Award for Black Panther and is now nominated for Wakanda Forever. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about these projects as well as her decades-long collaboration with Spike Lee.

Best Of: Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter

We remember David Jolicoeur, otherwise known as Trugoy the Dove, of the hip-hop group De La Soul. The influential group that emerged in the late 1980s brought a sense of fun and wit to the genre, as well as a middle-class suburban sensibility. We'll listen back to our 2000 interview with him. Also, science writer Ed Yong tells us about how animals perceive the world differently than humans, through hearing, sight, vibrations, echoes and magnetic fields. It's the subject of his book An Immense World. Justin Chang reviews the new film Emily, about the novelist Emily Brontë in the years before she wrote Wuthering Heights.

Remembering De La Soul's David Jolicoeur

After the sudden death of his girlfriend Lynn Shelton in 2020, comedian and podcaster Marc Maron was forced to grieve in isolation. He talks about finding humor amidst his grief in his new HBO special, From Bleak to Dark. Also, Ken Tucker reviews a new release of Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind.

Marc Maron Goes 'From Bleak To Dark'

What do great conductors listen to when they're not on the podium? Philadelphia Orchestra/Met Opera conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin made a playlist, specifically for Fresh Air, of music that inspires him. It includes a surprising mix of pop, hip-hop and classical music — and includes a song that his cats love. Find the playlist on our<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/13/1156702559/from-beyonce-to-debussy-yannick-nezet-seguin-shares-music-that-inspires-him"> website</a> or on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fTYmNTp1DuPHwQtASDp4x?si=53874e6dba3a4b14">Spotify</a>.

A Playlist By Yannick Nézet-Séguin 

In the last 30 years, Ruth E. Carter has produced some of the most iconic looks in the Black film canon and beyond. She won an Academy Award for Black Panther and is now nominated for Wakanda Forever. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about these projects as well as her decades-long collaboration with Spike Lee. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews On Writing and Failure by Stephen Marche.

'Black Panther' Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter

We remember composer and arranger Burt Bacharach, who died last week at 94. Bacharach, along with lyricist Hal David, created dozens of pop hits of the '60s and early '70s. He was known for his rhythmically sophisticated and catchy pop songs, like The Look of Love, Do You Know the Way to San Jose, Walk on By, Anyone Who Had a Heart, Don't Make Me Over, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, I Say a Little Prayer, and Alfie. We'll listen back to two of our interviews.  One with Bacharach and lyricist Hal David. The other with Bacharach and Elvis Costello. They wrote many songs together.

Remembering Burt Bacharach

The new Oscar-nominated documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, focuses on world-famous photographer Nan Goldin, her life, her work, and the protests she led at museums that accepted funding from the Sackler family. Their company, Purdue Pharma, manufactured and unscrupulously marketed OxyContin. We'll talk with Goldin and director Laura Poitras. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Up With the Sun, by Thomas Mallon. One of the most acclaimed jazz pianists of his generation, Brad Mehldau sits down at the piano, for music and conversation. His album, Your Mother Should Know, interprets songs by The Beatles.

Best Of: Laura Poitras & Nan Goldin / Jazz Pianist Brad Mehldau

It's been 50 years since Schoolhouse Rock appeared on Saturday morning TV to teach kids about math, grammar and history. We're listening back to portions of our interviews with some of the people behind those songs: Composer, pianist and singer Bob Dorough, songwriter and pianist Dave Frishberg, and trumpeter and singer Jack Sheldon. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Magic Mike's Last Dance, the third and final Magic Mike film starring Channing Tatum.

50 Years Of 'Schoolhouse Rock'

The new Oscar-nominated documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, focuses on world-famous photographer Nan Goldin, her life, her work, and the protests she led at museums that accepted funding from the Sackler family. Their company, Purdue Pharma, manufactured and unscrupulously marketed OxyContin. We'll talk with Goldin and director Laura Poitras. Also, John Powers reviews the documentary (also Oscar-nominated) All That Breathes.

Artist/Activist Nan Goldin & Filmmaker Laura Poitras

Journalist Mark Whitaker says that much of what's happening American race relations today traces back to 1966, the year when the Black Panthers were founded and the Black Power movement took full form. It's also the year when when Stokely Carmichael replaced John Lewis as chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and challenged the tactic of non-violence. Whitaker examines the pivotal year in his new book, Saying It Loud: 1966 — The Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement.

1966: The Year Of Black Power

Prosecutor Mark Pomerantz worked on the Manhattan District Attorney's office probe into Donald Trump's finances, then resigned after a new DA decided not to file charges. His book is People vs. Donald Trump. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Up With the Sun by Thomas Mallon.

Inside The Criminal Investigation Into Trump's Finances 

One of the most acclaimed jazz pianists of his generation, Mehldau sits down at the piano, for music and conversation. His album, Your Mother Should Know, interprets songs by The Beatles.

Jazz Pianist Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles

After working as a neurosurgeon for over 40 years, Dr. Henry Marsh was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. The cancer led him to reflect on doctor/patient relationships, his own mortality, and why he'd consider the possibility of hastening the end through medically-assisted death. His new book is And Finally. Also, we'll hear from actor Lizzy Caplan. In the series Fleishman Is in Trouble, she plays a character who's having questions about her marriage, motherhood, and what happened to her youth and potential. And David Bianculli will review the new series Shrinking, starring Harrison Ford and Jason Segel.

Best Of: When A Doctor Becomes A Patient / Lizzy Caplan

After losing much of her memory to dementia, one of the things the main character in the novel The Swimmers remembers is being forced into an incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II. Author Julie Otsuka talks about the novel and her own family's experience in Japanese incarceration camps. Also, we remember Victor Navasky, the longtime editor and eventual publisher of The Nation. He also wrote the book Naming Names, now considered a classic, about the Hollywood 10 and the House Un-American Activities Committee. David Bianculli reviews the new Netflix mockumentary series Cunk on Earth.

Author Julie Otsuka / Remembering 'Nation' Editor Victor Navasky

Journalist Jere Van Dyk has spent years in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he got to know leaders of the Haqqani network, responsible for many suicide bombings and kidnappings. His new book is Without Borders. Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead a new anthology of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Shirley Scott Cookbook sessions.

Inside The Haqqani Terrorist Network

Phone and electric car batteries are made with cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt Red author Siddharth Kara describes the conditions as a "horror show." Justin Chang reviews the Belgian film Close.

How 'Modern-Day Slavery' Powers The Rechargeable Battery Economy

The series Fleishman Is in Trouble is about marriage, parenthood, and middle age. Lizzy Caplan plays Libby, a mom and journalist who is struggling with identity since moving to the suburbs. Caplan's other films and TV shows include Mean Girls, Party Down, and Freaks and Geeks. She was nominated for an Emmy for her work in the series Masters of Sex. She spoke with Fresh Air's Ann Marie Baldonado. Also, David Bianculli reviews the series Shrinking, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.

Actor Lizzy Caplan

Neurosurgeon Dr. Henry Marsh describes how his own cancer diagnoses led him to reflect on the doctor-patient relationship, his own mortality and medically-assisted death. He'll talk about his memoir, And Finally, and about his trips to Ukraine performing surgery and working to improve the country's medical system.

When A Doctor Becomes The Patient

F. Murray Abraham won the 1985 Best Actor Oscar for Amadeus. Now he co-stars in The White Lotus as Bert, a chauvinistic patriarch on vacation in Italy with his son and grandson. We talk about his career and life, and the lessons he learned along the way. David Bianculli reviews Rian Johnson's new series Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne. Author Jeff Guinn has written about cult leaders Charles Manson and Jim Jones. In the book, Waco, he draws on new interviews with federal agents and surviving Branch Davidians to revisit the 1993 confrontation, which left scores of people dead, including more than 20 children.

Best Of: Human Trafficking After Katrina /  The Waco Siege

This month marks the centennial of the birth of Sam Phillips, the record producer who discovered Elvis and produced his first records. We're listening back to our interview with Phillips, who founded Sun Records in Memphis and also launched the careers of Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. Also David Crosby and Graham Nash tell the story of how they met and started making music together as Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Crosby died last week. John Powers reviews the new HBO series The Last of Us.

Sun Records Founder Sam Phillips / Crosby & Nash

Washington Post technology reporter Drew Harwell says the unpublished report shows that tech companies didn't respond to employees' warnings about violent rhetoric on their platforms.

How Social Media's Role Was Left Out Of The Jan. 6 Report 

Author Jeff Guinn has written about cult leaders Charles Manson and Jim Jones. In the book, Waco, he draws on new interviews with federal agents and surviving Branch Davidians to revisit the 1993 confrontation, which left scores of people dead, including more than 20 children. Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Peacock series Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne.

Revisiting The Waco Siege, 30 Years Later 

F. Murray Abraham won the 1985 Best Actor Oscar for Amadeus. Now he co-stars in The White Lotus as Bert, a chauvinistic patriarch on vacation in Italy with his son and grandson. We talk about his career and life, and the lessons he learned along the way.

'White Lotus' Actor F. Murray Abraham 

After Hurricane Katrina in 2006, hundreds of workers from India were promised jobs and green cards in what labor organizer Saket Soni calls "one of the largest cases of forced labor in modern U.S. history." He tells their story in The Great Escape.

Forced Labor & Rebuilding After Natural Disasters In The U.S.

We'll talk about the latest developments and strategies in the fight over abortion rights with Mary Ziegler, who has written several books on the law, history and politics of abortion. Her new book, Roe: The History of a National Obsession, is about how abortion has remained at the center of America's culture wars and political battles. Also, we'll hear from writer Jonathan Escoffery. His semi-autobiographical collection of stories, If I Survive You, is on our book critic Maureen Corrigan's list of the best books of 2022. The main character, like Escoffery, is the American-born son of Jamaican immigrants, trying to figure out how race and racism work in America, and where he's supposed to fit. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new solo album from pianist and composer Kenny Baron.

Best Of: The Status Of Abortion Rights / Novelist Jonathan Escoffery

Rachael & Vilray's new album, I Love a Love Song, features them with a jazz ensemble. Most of their songs sound like something you would have heard on the radio in the '30s and '40s. Rachael is also the lead singer of the group Lake Street Dive. They spoke with Sam Briger in 2020. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the novel This Other Eden, by Paul Harding, and Justin Chang reviews the new film Women Talking.

Jazz-Pop Duo Rachael & Vilray

Historian Matthew Connelly says government records are marked as "classified" three times every second — and many of them will never be declassified. We talk about what that means for the public and how this might change. His new book is The Declassification Engine. Also, John Powers reviews the French courtroom drama film Saint Omer by Alice Diop.

Is The U.S. Gov't Designating Too Many Documents As Classified'?

New York Times congressional correspondent Catie Edmondson says the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives will likely leverage their subpoena power to enact vengeance on the Biden administration. "The next two years is not going to be defined by governing and legislating. It is going to be defined by obstruction and clashes of personalities and investigation," she says.

What's Next For The New GOP-Led House?

Legal historian Mary Ziegler has chronicled the legal, political and cultural battles around abortion, and says the debate is far from over: "We're at a moment of almost unprecedented uncertainty in the United States when it comes to abortion," Zielger says. Her book is Roe: The History of a National Obsession.

The Status Of Abortion Rights In America

Princeton African American Studies professor Imani Perry says the South can be seen as an "origin point" for the way the nation operates. Her book, South to America, reflects on the region's history and traces the steps of an enslaved ancestor. "The South in some ways becomes the repository for the nation's sins, right?" she says. "And then it allows the rest of the country to conceive of itself as relatively pristine." South to America won the National Book Award for nonfiction in 2022. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews pianist Kenny Barron's album The Source.

A Journey Below The Mason-Dixon Line

Equal sports opportunities for women was mandated 50 years ago by title IX legislation. Champion runner Lauren Fleshman explains why getting access to a sports world built by men, for men and boys isn't working for girls and women. Her book, Good For a Girl, is a feminist critique of the sports world and a memoir about her own running career. Also, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, creator, writer and showrunner of FX's series Fleishman Is In Trouble on Hulu talks about divorce, middle age, and dating apps. Justin Chang reviews the critically acclaimed film No Bears by Iranian director Jafar Panahi. Not long after the film was completed, Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison.

Best Of: Equity In Sports / 'Fleishman Is In Trouble' Creator 

We remember novelist Russell Banks, whose working-class background inspired much of his work. His best known novels were adapted into films, including Affliction, The Sweet Hereafter, and Continental Drift. We'll listen back to portions of our interviews with him. Also, we're revisiting our interview with photographer Larry Sultan, whose photographic memoir of growing up in California in the '50s and '60s is the basis of a new Broadway show starring Nathan Lane. Maureen Corrigan reviews the novel Sam by Allegra Goodman. And Justin Chang reviews No Bears, the Iranian film that's been on his year-end best list.

Remembering Novelist Russell Banks

Journalist Anshel Pfeffer says the Israeli prime minister has a "strange detachment" when it comes to social issues — which opens the door for conservative members of his coalition to make changes.

What Israel's Move To The Right Means For Democracy

Taffy Brodesser-Akner says the start of middle age hit her "like a truck." As her friends got divorced and began dating again, she was inspired to write a novel — which she's adapted for the screen. Fleishman is in Trouble is on FX/Hulu. Also, Raw Deal author Chloe Sorvino talks about the state of the meat industry.

'Fleishman Is In Trouble' Creator Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Champion distance runner Lauren Fleshman says 50 years after Title IX legislation, the sports world is still built for mens' bodies. She's now an activist seeking to change that by addressing important sex-based differences. We'll talk about her famous "Objectify Me" Nike campaign, inclusivity for transgender athletes, and how breasts, hips and menstruation shouldn't be treated as an impediment to athletic performance. Her book is Good for a Girl.

Fighting For Equity In Sports

Jonathan Escoffery grew up in Miami, the son of Jamaican immigrants. In a world where identity was linked to race, he says it was often confusing to figure out where he fit in. His new book of stories is If I Survive You. Also, Ken Tucker reviews SZA's new album, SOS.

'If I Survive You' author Jonathan Escoffery

We talk about the January 6th Committee's work with Luke Broadwater, who covers Congress for the New York Times. He was in the Capitol the day of the assault, and has reported on the Committee's work from the beginning. John Powers reviews Noah Baumbach's film adaptation of Don DeLillo's White Noise. The list of authors Robert Gottlieb has edited include Joseph Heller, Toni Morrison, John Le Carré, Katharine Graham, Bill Clinton, Nora Ephron and Michael Crichton. The documentary Turn Every Page, by his daughter Lizzie Gottlieb, examines his decades-long editing relationship with Power Broker author Robert Caro.

Best Of: Wrapping up the Jan. 6 hearings / Editing Robert Caro

We remember one of the creators of the Philly Sound: songwriter, arranger and producer Thom Bell. He died late last month, at the age of 79. He was a classically trained pianist whose inventive R&B arrangements included horns, strings, oboe, timpani, and more. Among the songs he arranged were "Drowning in the Sea of Love" by Joe Simon, and "Backs Stabbers" by the O'Jays. He also wrote and arranged for the Stylistics, the Spinners, and the Delfonics. John Powers reviews the new film White Noise, directed by Noah Baumbach, now on Netflix.

Remembering A Creator Of The Philly Sound

NYT journalist Luke Broadwater says the committee hired a former news producer to hit Trump where it hurt: "His whole career was built on television, and they were able to use that very medium against him."

How The Jan. 6 Committee Used TV Tactics Against Trump

In 1977, gunmen led by a charismatic Muslim leader stormed three locations in Washington, D.C., taking more than 100 people hostage. Journalist Shahan Mufti examines the incident in his book American Caliph.

Revisiting A Forgotten U.S. Hostage Crisis

Robert Gottlieb has been working in publishing since 1955. The list of authors he's edited include Joseph Heller, Toni Morrison, John Le Carré, Katharine Graham, Bill Clinton, Nora Ephron and Michael Crichton. The documentary Turn Every Page, by his daughter Lizzie Gottlieb, examines his decades-long editing relationship with Power Broker author Robert Caro. Terry Gross spoke with both Lizzie and Robert Gottlieb. Also, John Powers reviews the British drama Living, adapted by Kazuo Ishiguro from Akira Kurosawa's classic 1952 film Ikiru.

Acclaimed Book Editor Robert Gottlieb

Our best of 2022 series concludes with actor Rosie Perez. Raised in a convent for abandoned kids, Perez used to dream of stability and a loving home. Now that she has it, Perez says, "It's priceless." We talk with Perez about overcoming the trauma of her childhood, how a fight with Spike Lee helped land her breakthrough role in Do the Right Thing, and her brief — but impactful — time dancing on Soul Train. She co-stars on HBO Max's The Flight Attendant.

Actor Rosie Perez

We continue our series of some of our favorite interviews of the year with Seth Meyers, the host of NBC's Late Night. Also, we hear from comedian, writer, director and actor Stephen Merchant. He co-created the British comedy series The Office with Ricky Gervais. His most recent series is called The Outlaws. And critic Ken Tucker shares his picks for the best music of 2022.

Seth Meyers / Stephen Merchant

The hit parody artist "Weird Al" Yankovic talks about what made him weird, the legal gray area of parody, and bringing "the sexy back" to accordion. The new movie Weird, inspired by the story of his life, is a parody of music biopics.

'Weird Al' Yankovic

Our best of 2022 series continues with Michael Imperioli, who played a sex-addicted Hollywood producer on vacation in Sicily in HBO's The White Lotus. He's best known for his role as Tony Soprano's hot-headed protégé, Christopher Moltisanti. He talked about both of these roles with Fresh Air producer Sam Briger. Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead remembers musicians who died this year.

Michael Imperioli

DJ Questlove has put together a playlist of some of his favorite Christmas recordings. We'll talk about his picks. And film critic Justin Chang shares his best of 2022 list. You can find Questlove's Spotify playlist here: https://spoti.fi/3WeZhfd

Questlove's Christmas Playlist / Best Films Of 2022

Our best of 2022 series continues. In his HBO comedy special, Rothaniel, Jerrod Carmichael opens up about his real name, his family tree, and his sexual orientation. We'll go deeper into these issues — and talk about how being honest about them changed his comedy and his life. Carmichael is hosting the Golden Globes in January. Podcast critic Nick Quah shares his picks for best podcasts of 2022.

Comic Jerrod Carmichael

Our best of 2022 series continues. The FX/Hulu series Reservation Dogs follows four teens on an Oklahoma Indian reservation who are frustrated and alienated, caught between what's left of traditional Native culture on the reservation and the broader pop culture. We talk with co-creator and showrunner Sterlin Harjo about his own upbringing in Indian Territory and how he was inspired by the storytellers in his family. Also, rock critic Ken Tucker shares his picks for best of 2022.

Sterlin Harjo On 'Reservation Dogs'

Our best of 2022 series continues. Spielberg's latest project, The Fabelmans, is semi-autobiographical — focused on his childhood and teen years and his parents' divorce. He jokingly refers to the film as "$40 million of therapy." He speaks with Terry Gross about the first movie he saw in theaters, filming the iconic D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan, and growing up around Holocaust survivors.

Steven Spielberg

Our best of 2022 series continues. John McEnroe is remembered as one of the most talented — and hot-headed — tennis players of all time. Over the course of his career, he won 155 combined titles — more than any man in the game's modern era. We talk about wins, losses and notorious moments on the court.

Tennis Icon John McEnroe

Our series of favorite interviews from 2022 kicks off with Sheryl Lee Ralph. She won an Emmy for her role as the veteran teacher Barbara Howard on the hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary, about an under-resourced Philly school. We talk about her long career in showbiz — from Dreamgirls on Broadway to Moesha, and how she made her own way in an industry that didn't offer many parts to Black women. Also, film critic Justin Chang shares his list of the top 11 movies of the year.

Sheryl Lee Ralph Of 'Abbott Elementary'

Questlove has put together a playlist for us of some of his favorite Christmas recordings. Questlove is co-founder of the The Roots, which is among other things, is the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He won an Oscar this year for his documentary Summer of Soul. You can find Questlove's Spotify playlist here: https://spoti.fi/3WeZhfd

A Very Questlove Christmas

Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide among adolescents have risen sharply in recent years. We'll speak with the New York Times' Matt Richtel, who spent nearly two years reporting on the crisis — speaking with troubled teens and their parents, psychiatrists, primary care physicians, therapists and researchers. His series of articles on the issue is titled The Inner Pandemic.

The Teen Mental Health Crisis 

American Sirens author Kevin Hazzard tells the story of a community group in a Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh who helped spark a revolution in emergency medicine. As recently as the 1960s, anyone suffering a heart attack or serious injury who called for help might get a response from the police or funeral home employees in a hearse. They could get the patient to a hospital, but couldn't perform CPR or other treatment on the scene. Freedom House trained some of the nation's first paramedics. Critic at-large John Powers shares a list of things he wish he had reviewed in 2022.

The Surprising History Of The First Paramedics

Kumail Nanjiani plays Somen "Steve" Banerjee, founder of the male strip club Chippendales, in a new Hulu series. Banerjee was ultimately undone by his own corrupt business practices. We talk about the challenge of playing an un-funny person and how his childhood in Pakistan informs his comedy. Justin Chang reviews new iterations of Matilda and Pinnochio on Netflix. Glass Onion, Rian Johnson's sequel to Knives Out, centers on a billionaire who's invited an assortment of so-called "disrupters" to his private island for a long weekend getaway to play out a murder mystery game. The writer/director talks about satirizing tech moguls and influencers and the murder mysteries that inspired him.

Best Of: Kumail Nanjiani / 'Knives Out' Writer/Director Rian Johnson

We consider the classic 1952 western High Noon written and released 70 years ago — during an era of paranoia and persecution in America over the threat of communism — in which the President, congress, the courts and the press all played a part. We talk with journalist Glenn Frankel, author of the book High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic. The film was written as a parable about the blacklist. Also, Justin Chang reviews Avatar: The Way of Water.

Revisiting 'High Noon,' A Parable Of The Hollywood Blacklist 

Rachel Maddow's new podcast, Ultra, is about ultra-right wing groups that sided with Hitler's Germany, and plotted to overthrow the U. S. government before World War II. It led to the largest sedition trial in American history. Ultra is also about sitting members of the U. S. Senate and House of Representatives who colluded with a German agent to spread Nazi propaganda to millions of Americans with the help of American taxpayers money.

Rachel Maddow On The WWII-Era Plot Against America

Octavia Butler's 1979 book, Kindred, is now a series for FX on Hulu. In 1993, the pioneering author, who died in 2006, told Fresh Air she made up her own stories so that she could see herself — a Black woman — in them. Kindred is about a writer who involuntarily time travels to the Antebellum South. Also we remember lesbian pulp fiction writer Marijane Meaker who died last month. Critic David Bianculli reflects on the best of 2022 television.

Sci-Fi Pioneer Octavia Butler

Historian Adam Hochschild says Woodrow Wilson used the first World War as an excuse to spy on Americans, censor the press and plan for the mass deportation of immigrants. His new book is American Midnight. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews pianist Ahmad Jamal's Emerald City Nights.

Democracy's 'Forgotten Crisis' 

Glass Onion, Rian Johnson's sequel to Knives Out, centers on a billionaire who's invited an assortment of so-called "disrupters" to his private island for a long weekend getaway to play out a murder mystery game. The writer/director talks about satirizing tech moguls and influencers and the murder mysteries that inspired him. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews two mystery novels: A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley, and Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures.

Rian Johnson On 'Glass Onion'

As the second season of HBO's The White Lotus comes to a close, creator Mike White reflects on how it examines the dark side of sex, and how at its heart is a mix of Laverne & Shirley, Fantasy Island and Survivor. 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 about his career as a maître d' is Your Table Is Ready.

Best Of: 'White Lotus' Creator Mike White / The Life Of A NYC Maître D'

The scenes in the new documentary Harvest Time show footage taken when Neil Young was making the album Harvest. We listen back to two interviews with Young, from 1992 and 2004. George Clooney was among the recipients of the 45th Kennedy Center Honors last week. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2005, after he directed, co-wrote and co-starred in Good Night, and Good Luck. Justin Chang reviews two new films on Netflix — the musical Matilda and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.

Neil Young / George Clooney

Tech journalist Casey Newton says Elon Musk did not inherit a company in crisis — but after massive layoffs and upheaval the social media giant is losing money and Musk is warning of bankruptcy.

The Chaos At Twitter

Kumail Nanjiani plays Somen "Steve" Banerjee, founder of the male strip club Chippendales, in a new Hulu series. Banerjee was ultimately undone by his own corrupt business practices. "He was the king of a world that wouldn't have him as a member," Nanjiani says. We talk about the challenge of playing an un-funny person, his physical transformation for Marvel: Eternals, and how his childhood in Pakistan informs his comedy.

Kumail Nanjiani

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.

A NYC Maître D' Shares Secrets Of The Restaurant Industry 

As the second season of HBO's The White Lotus comes to a close, creator Mike White reflects on how it examines the dark side of sex, and how at its heart is a mix of Laverne & Shirley, Fantasy Island and Survivor. Also, Ken Tucker shares three songs that grapple with romance.

'White Lotus' Creator Mike White

James Gray's new film, Armageddon Time, was inspired by his childhood in Queens in the 1980s. Though his grandparents had fled antisemitism in Ukraine, his family didn't recognize their own biases against Black people. He talks about his life and the film. Book critic Maureen Corrigan shares her list for the best books of the year. Physician Siddhartha Mukherjee writes about cellular science could lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer, HIV, Type 1 diabetes and sickle cell anemia. His new book is The Song of the Cell.

Best Of: 'Armageddon Time' Director / A Revolution In Cell Biology 

Trevor Noah is stepping down as host of The Daily Show after seven years. We'll listen back to portions of two 2016 interviews with Noah, whose newest standup comedy special just premiered on Netflix. Also, Justin Chang reviews The Eternal Daughter starring Tilda Swinton.

'Daily Show' Host Trevor Noah

In How the Word Is Passed, author Clint Smith explored U.S. sites that deal with the legacy of slavery. Now, in The Atlantic, he writes about German memorials to the Holocaust.

How Should Nations Memorialize Their Atrocities?

Nobel Peace Prize-winning Filipina journalist Maria Ressa faced criminal charges in the Philippines after her news organization's reporting angered government officials. She has a new memoir called How to Stand Up to a Dictator. Critic Maureen Corrigan shares her list of the best books of the year.

How To Stand Up To A Dictator 

Guardian journalist Luke Harding shares his experience reporting from Ukraine. "It's almost impossible to process," he says. "You can see a flourishing city of half a million people with ports, with restaurants, with live music, with culture, coffee — and now it's a ghostly ruin." We talk about how the war might end — and why the West needs to pay attention. Harding's book is Invasion.

How Social Media's Role Was Left Out Of The Jan. 6 Report

from Fresh Air

by NPR

Published: Thu Jan 26 2023

Show Notes