Fresh Air

By NPRTV & Film Society & Culture Arts Books

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Fresh Air episodes

October 01, 2019 An Author Investigates His Family Ties To Jimmy Hoffa's Disappearance
Jack Goldsmith's new memoir 'In Hoffa's Shadow' centers on his investigation into his stepfather's involvement in the 1975 disappearance of mob-connected labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa is portrayed by Al Pacino in Martin Scorsese's new film 'The Irishman.' Goldsmith is a Harvard Law professor, and best known for having headed the Office of Legal Counsel in the George W. Bush administration, where he challenged warrantless wiretapping and retracted memos legally justifying torture.
49 min
September 30, 2019 Actor Antonio Banderas
Banderas stars in Pedro Almodóvar's new film 'Pain and Glory' as a screenwriter and director suffering with physical pain, and pain of the soul. Banderas had a heart attack a few years ago, and talks about how the experience informed his performance. He also talks about his early career working with Almodóvar in Spain, getting his start in Hollywood when he spoke very little English, and catching his hair on fire while filming 'Desperado.'
50 min
September 28, 2019 Best Of: Ta-Nehisi Coates / Tegan And Sara
Coates won a National Book Award in 2015 for 'Between the World and Me.' His debut novel, 'The Water Dancer,' is set in slave times and re-imagines the Underground Railroad's leaders as having a magical power to teleport people out of slavery.

Also, Justin Chang reviews 'Judy,' the new Judy Garland biopic starring Renée Zellweger.

And music duo Tegan and Sara revisit their teen years and early music in a new memoir, 'High School,' and companion album, 'Hey, I'm Just Like You.' They talk about figuring out their sexuality and the difficultly of being twins.
51 min
September 27, 2019 A 'Photo Ark' For Captive Animal Species
'National Geographic' photographer Joel Sartore is on a mission to document every captive animal species in the world. His new book of photographs is 'Vanishing: The World's Most Vulnerable Animals.' (Originally broadcast in February 2017)

Also, Lloyd Schwartz reviews a reissue of the movie version of the 1955 musical 'Damn Yankees' — the only time Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon danced together on the big screen.

And TV critic David Bianculli reviews Ryan Murphy's first Netflix series, 'The Politician.'
49 min
September 26, 2019 'Piety & Power' And Mike Pence
Political reporter Tom LoBianco has covered Vice President Mike Pence in both Indiana and Washington, D.C. He describes Pence as a man of faith who is willing to put political ambition ahead of his beliefs. His book is 'Piety and Power.'

Justin Chang reviews 'Judy,' a Judy Garland biopic starring Renée Zellweger.
49 min
September 25, 2019 Singing Cowboys / Remembering Grateful Dead Lyricist Robert Hunter
Musician Doug Green talks about a largely forgotten chapter of music history, the singing cowboy. Green wrote a book on singing cowboys, and is featured in Ken Burns' new PBS series on the history of country music. He co-founded Riders in the Sky, a popular Western band named after a famous cowboy song.

After Jerry Garcia formed Grateful Dead in the mid '60s, Robert Hunter wrote most of the lyrics for Garcia's songs, lyrics most Deadheads know by heart. Hunter died on Monday at 78. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1988.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Ian Sansom's book about one of the greatest poems of the 20th century, W.H. Auden's "September 1, 1939," and how it resonates in times of crisis.
50 min
September 24, 2019 Ta-Nehisi Coates On 'The Water Dancer'
Ta-Nehisi Coates launched a national conversation with his 2014 Atlantic cover story, 'The Case For Reparations. In 2015, he won a National Book Award for for 'Between the World and Me,' written in the form of a letter to his son about the violence young black men are vulnerable to. Now, he's written his first novel ... 'The Water Dancer' is set in slave times and re-imagines the Underground Railroad's leaders as having a magical power to teleport people out of slavery. The magic is activated by the power of memory.
50 min
September 23, 2019 Tegan And Sara
Music duo Tegan and Sara revisit their teen years and their early music in a new memoir, 'High School,' and companion album, 'Hey, I'm Just Like You.' Listening back to the songs they wrote, Sara says: "I was struck by the joy in our voices." They talk about figuring out their sexuality, the difficultly of being twins, and the misogyny and homophobia they faced in the media at the beginning of their careers.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new CBS procedural 'Evil,' by the creators of 'The Good Wife.'
50 min
September 21, 2019 Best Of: Edward Snowden / Journalist Andrea Mitchell
In 2013, Edward Snowden showed journalists thousands of top secret documents about U.S. intelligence agencies' surveillance efforts. He's been living in exile in Russia ever since. His new book is 'Permanent Record.'

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Ad Astra,' starring Brad Pitt.

Andrea Mitchell, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News and anchor of her own MSNBC show, looks back on her career in journalism. She's receiving a lifetime achievement Emmy on Sept. 24.
51 min
September 20, 2019 'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes & Maggie Smith
As the 'Downton Abbey' movie opens in theaters, we listen back to our interviews with the series creator Julian Fellowes and star Maggie Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess of Grantham.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Ad Astra,' starring Brad Pitt.
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.