Fresh Air

By NPRTV & Film Society & Culture Arts Books

Ranking
1st
on Books
Favorites
47,949
Followers
Typical duration
46 min
per episode
If it hooks
56%
finish an episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Fresh Air episodes

October 24, 2019 Actor Kathryn Hahn
Hahn stars in the new HBO series 'Mrs. Fletcher' as a divorced mom grappling with her son going away to college. Hahn is known for her roles in 'Transparent,' 'Parks and Recreation,' 'I Love Dick,' and 'Private Life.' She says her best roles have been in her 40s. "The most complicated and messy roles I've been able to get have been offered through women," she says. "I'm just so buoyed and galvanized that the juiciest part of [my career] has been post-kids."

Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the album 'Good Hope' from the Crosscurrents Trio — Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter.
49 min
October 23, 2019 Mosul & The Fall of ISIS
Journalist James Verini offers a first-hand account of the 2017 battle to drive ISIS from Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq. The fighting left thousands dead, and the oldest part of the city in ruin: "The west side looked as though some vengeful deity had wiped his hand across the city. It was miles and miles of rubble." His new book is 'They Will Have to Die Now.'

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the psychological thriller 'The Lighthouse,' starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
49 min
October 22, 2019 Covering The Syrian Civil War
'Washington Post' Beirut Bureau Chief Liz Sly has covered the Syrian civil war since it began in 2011. She discusses Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces and her experience reporting in war zones. "The idea that nothing will happen to you is something that goes away the more experience you have, because you see the narrow escapes and you see all the things that do happen to people you knew." Sly is receiving an award for courage in journalism from the International Women's Media Foundation.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Ecstasy and Terror: From the Greeks to Game of Thrones,' a book of essays by Daniel Mendelsohn.
49 min
October 21, 2019 The Life And Music Of Janis Joplin
Onstage, Joplin oozed confidence, sexuality and exuberance, but biographer Holly George-Warren describes the singer as a bookworm who worked hard to create her "blues feelin' mama" persona. Her new biography of the '60s counterculture icon is 'Janis.'

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews HBO's miniseries 'Catherine the Great,' starring Helen Mirren.
48 min
October 19, 2019 Best Of: Elton John / Novelist Attica Locke
Elton John says his father's early misgivings about his chosen career became a source of motivation: "He gave me the determination to make something of myself." He talks about his volatile childhood, addiction, and fame. His new memoir is 'Me.'

Also, Justin Chang reviews the satirical Nazi film 'Jojo Rabbit.'

Attica Locke says her new novel, 'Heaven, My Home,' "was about place before it was about a character." The story centers on a black Texas ranger who patrols Highway 59 searching for the missing son of an Aryan Brotherhood leader. Locke spoke with 'Fresh Air' producer Sam Briger.
50 min
October 18, 2019 Jazz Singer Anita O'Day / Remembering Robert Forster
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead offers an appreciation of singer Anita O'Day, who was born 100 years ago today. O'Day, who died in 2006, inspired the so-called cool jazz singers of the '50s. In her autobiography 'High Times, Hard Times,' O'Day explained that her last name was Colton, but she changed it to "O'Day," because in pig Latin that meant dough, and she hoped to make plenty of it. She spoke with Terry Gross in 1987.

Also, we remember actor Robert Forster who died last Friday at 78. He appeared in close to 200 films and TV shows. After decades in the business, his career was revived when Quentin Tarantino cast him as a good-hearted bail-bondsman in 'Jackie Brown.'

Film critic Justin Chang reviews the satirical Nazi film, 'Jojo Rabbit.'
48 min
October 17, 2019 Climate Change & The Cost Of Coastal Real Estate
Journalist Gilbert Gaul says federal subsidies encourage developers to keep building on the coasts — despite accelerating and increasing risks from climate change. His book is 'The Geography of Risk.'

Also, John Powers reviews 'Watchmen,' an adaptation of the comic for HBO, starring Regina King.
49 min
October 16, 2019 Novelist Attica Locke / Filmmaker Taika Waititi
Attica Locke says her new novel, 'Heaven, My Home,' "was about place before it was about a character." The story centers on a black Texas ranger who patrols Highway 59 searching for the missing son of an Aryan Brotherhood leader. Locke spoke with 'Fresh Air' producer Sam Briger.
The new satirical film 'Jojo Rabbit' centers on a 10-year-old boy who joins the Hitler Youth. Writer and director Waititi, who is from New Zealand, is half-Jewish and half-Maori. He plays the boy's imaginary friend, Hitler.
50 min
October 15, 2019 Ronan Farrow
Farrow's 2017 report on Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement and earned him a Pulitzer Prize. He says in the course of his reporting Weinstein had him followed and his house bugged. Farrow talks about the systemic ways in which top institutions aid and abet powerful people accused of crimes, silence witnesses, and stifle the First Amendment. His new book is 'Catch and Kill.'
47 min
October 14, 2019 Elton John
Elton John says his father's early misgivings about his chosen career became a source of motivation: "He gave me the determination to make something of myself." He talks about his volatile childhood, addiction, and fame. Elton John's new memoir is called 'Me.' Also, classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a documentary about the iconic opera singer Maria Callas.
49 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: Investigating the system that protected Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sep 2446 min
Number 3: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
Sep 2246 min
Number 4: New drones, deadlier attacks: Dystopian reality in Ukraine
Sep 3046 min
Number 5: Is Jared Kushner a 'walking conflict of interest'?
Sep 1647 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.