Fresh Air

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Fresh Air episodes

December 15, 2020 MC & Actor Riz Ahmed
Ahmed plays a drummer who loses his hearing in 'Sound of Metal. ' To prepare for the role, he immersed himself in deaf culture — an experience that changed the way he thought about communication and listening. We talk about that film, the formative experience of being racially profiled in an airport, and his breakthrough song "Post 9/11 Blues."

Also, Ken Tucker shares his favorite albums of the year.
50 min
December 14, 2020 Remembering Novelist (And Former Spy) John Le Carré
Best-selling novelist John Le Carré, who died Dec. 12, worked for MI5 and MI6 early in his career and later drew on that experience in thrillers like 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.' He spoke with Terry Gross in 1989 and 2017 about how his work for British intelligence informed his writing.

Also, Kevin Whitehead reviews a newly issued 1971 live recording by tenor saxophonist George Coleman.
49 min
December 12, 2020 Best Of: Kate Winslet / Loudon Wainwright III & Vince Giordano
Kate Winslet co-stars in the new film 'Ammonite' as Mary Anning, a 19th-century paleontologist who has an intense love affair with the wife of a geologist. We talk about her new film and how things have changed for women in Hollywood.

Singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and Nighthawks bandleader Vince Giordano collaborated on the 1920s and '30s style music for the series 'Boardwalk Empire' and the film 'The Aviator.' Now they've gotten together again on the new album, 'I'd Rather Lead a Band,' a collection of songs from the Great American Songbook.
51 min
December 11, 2020 Rachel Maddow On Spiro Agnew's Bribery Scandal
Richard Nixon's first vice president, Spiro Agnew, resigned in 1973 amidst charges of bribery and tax evasion. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and producer Mike Yarvitz investigated the Agnew scandal in the podcast 'Bag Man.' Now their work on the podcast has been adapted into a book, 'Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-Up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House.'

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Farewell Amor.'
48 min
December 10, 2020 NYT Reporter Maggie Haberman Unpacks The Trump Years
White House correspondent Maggie Haberman sheds light on Trump's refusal to concede."[He] can't handle the concept of the label 'loser,' " she says. "He has never before encountered a problem that he couldn't sue away through the court system or spin away." We'll also talk about what's next for the president and the frustrations of covering this particular administration.
50 min
December 09, 2020 A Lawyer Combats The Mass Incarceration Crisis
Lawyer Brittany Barnett works on behalf of people sentenced to harsh sentences as a result of the war on drugs. Nine of her clients have been granted clemency. Barnett's new memoir is 'A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice And Freedom.'

Critic John Powers shares his list of the year's best TV, books and movies.
49 min
December 08, 2020 Rock & Roll Photographer Bob Gruen
Gruen has photographed countless rock stars, including John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry and Tina Turner. We talk about his friendship with John Lennon, why Bob Dylan doesn't like him, and surviving the party lifestyle of the '70s. His new memoir is 'Right Place, Right Time.'

Also, we remember test pilot Chuck Yeager who broke the sound barrier. He died yesterday at 97.
51 min
December 07, 2020 Kate Winslet
Winslet co-stars in the new film 'Ammonite' as Mary Anning, a 19th-century paleontologist who has an intense love affair with the wife of a geologist, played by Saorise Ronan. We talk about why the role scared her, how playing an epidemiologist in the 2011 film 'Contagion' prepared her for COVID, and how 'Titanic' changed her life.

Also, Justin Chang reviews 'Mank,' directed by David Fincher, now on Netflix.
49 min
December 05, 2020 Best Of: Hugh Grant / The Sanitation Crisis In Rural Alabama
Hugh Grant co-stars in the HBO miniseries 'The Undoing' as a charming doctor suspected of brutally murdering his lover. We talk with Grant about the "blessed relief" of taking on darker roles.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Ammonite,' starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.

MacArthur fellow Catherine Coleman Flowers grew up in rural Alabama and has spent 20 years calling attention to the problem of people living with inadequate sanitation systems, resulting in human waste collecting in their yards and sometimes seeping into their homes. Her new book is 'Waste: One Woman's Fight Against America's Dirty Secret.'
52 min
December 04, 2020 Celebrating Jazz Great Dave Brubeck / Best Books Of 2020
We celebrate the life and music of influential jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, who was born 100 years ago. Brubeck's album 'Time Out,' released in 1959, was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1999.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan shares her top 10 books of the year, and David Bianculli reviews Showtime's series 'Your Honor' starring Bryan Cranston.
50 min

About Fresh Air

From the publisher's feed

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 and Tonya Mosley, the show…

Best of Fresh Air

Ranked by our users in the last 21 days

Number 1: The Roy Cohn Playbook, from McCarthyism to Trump
Sep 1746 min
Number 2: Is Jared Kushner a 'walking conflict of interest'?
Sep 1647 min
Number 3: Investigating the system that protected Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sep 2446 min
Number 4: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
Sep 2246 min
Number 5: Global power, rivalry, and A.I.; a preview of the U.S./China summit
Sep 2347 min

FAQ about Fresh Air

What's this show about?
Fresh Air, hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, features intimate conversations with luminaries in contemporary arts and issues.
What's it like to listen to?
The show delivers in-depth interviews in a conversational format. Expect a focus on the guest's work and life, with thoughtful questions and a relaxed atmosphere.
What are recent episodes about?
Recent episodes feature Jessie Buckley discussing her role in the film *Hamnet*, Delroy Lindo reflecting on his career, and discussions about Paul McCartney's post-Beatles life and plans to restrict voting in the U.S..
Who's behind the mic?
Terry Gross has hosted Fresh Air since 1975, winning a Peabody Award and countless other honors for her insightful interviews. Tonya Mosley is a Peabody Award-winning journalist and co-host of Fresh Air.
How long is each episode?
Each episode is typically around 45 minutes to an hour.
When do new episodes drop?
The show releases new episodes regularly.
What are the main topics?
Arts, books, film, society, culture, interviews, music, politics
Who should listen to this?
Listeners interested in the arts, film, music, and society, as well as those who enjoy in-depth interviews with a wide range of notable figures.