Fresh Air

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Fresh Air episodes

September 07, 2019 Best Of: Janet Mock On 'Pose' / Elvis' Guitarist James Burton
Janet Mock made history as the first trans woman of color to write and direct an episode of TV for her work on Ryan Murphy's FX series 'Pose.' The show centers on the trans and queer ball culture in New York City in the '80s and '90s. Mock talks with Terry Gross about drawing from her own life to write for 'Pose' and growing up in Hawaii.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews 'The Yellow House,' Sarah M. Broom's extraordinary memoir about the New Orleans home in which she grew up.

Guitarist James Burton, who went professional at age 14, played in Ricky Nelson's band, and has been on hundreds of recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. You can hear him on the new box set, 'Elvis: Live 1969.'
51 min
September 06, 2019 Maggie Gyllenhaal On 'The Deuce'
Gyllenhaal produces and stars in the HBO series, 'The Deuce.' The show centers on sex work, porn, organized crime, politics and feminism in 1970s New York. The new season, which begins Sept. 9, jumps to the 1980s. (Originally broadcast Sept. 2018)

Also, Ken Tucker reviews Lana Del Rey's new album, 'Norman F****** Rockwell!' And TV critic David Bianculli reviews two recently released DVDs about entertainment and entertainers from long ago: one featuring a singing satirist from the '60s, the other profiling a long-forgotten female filmmaker from the silent era.
50 min
September 05, 2019 Trump's Businesses & Conflicts Of Interest
Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Washington Post' reporter David Fahrenthold says in the past, an honor system helped keep presidents from using the office to benefit themselves. Not Trump: "He exploits honor systems." Fahrenthold's beat is following the Trump businesses and the possible conflicts of interest that arise.

Also, critic Kevin Whitehead reviews an album by Ben Goldberg that unites jazz and poetry.
49 min
September 04, 2019 Fentanyl & The Dark Web
'Fentanyl, Inc.' author Ben Westhoff says the synthetic opioid, while useful in hospitals, is killing more Americans as a street drug than any other in U.S. history. More than 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year. Westhoff talks about how it moves from China to your corner.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews 'The Yellow House,' Sarah M. Broom's extraordinary memoir about the New Orleans home in which she grew up.
49 min
September 03, 2019 Elvis' Guitarist James Burton
Burton, who went professional at age 14, played in Ricky Nelson's band, and has been on hundreds of recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. You can hear him on the new box set, 'Elvis: Live 1969.'

Also, Ken Tucker reviews Chuck Cleaver's new solo album, 'Send Aid.' And Justin Chang reviews 'Give Me Liberty,' a screwball comedy by director Kirill Mikhanovsky. It follows the driver of a medical transport van and his passengers over the course of a busy 24 hours in Milwaukee.
50 min
September 02, 2019 Emmys Week: 'BoJack Horseman' Creator / 'Pen15' Creators
Raphael Bob-Waksberg's Emmy-nominated animated Netflix series satirizes Hollywood using a mix of human and animal characters. "Part of the original pitch was like, 'What's Mr. Ed like behind the scenes?'" BoJack (a horse) is a depressed, alcoholic, sexist former sitcom star in the #MeToo era.

From braces to bullies, middle school is a period of adolescence that might best be described as cringe-worthy. In the Emmy-nominated Hulu series 'PEN15,' actors Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who are in their early 30s, play 13-year-old versions of themselves in the year 2000. They spoke with Sam Briger about their physical transformation and reliving those difficult years.
50 min
August 31, 2019 Best Of: Sister Helen Prejean / Breakthroughs In Heart Health
Sister Helen Prejean is best known for her 1993 memoir, 'Dead Man Walking,' about her role as a spiritual adviser to a convicted killer on death row. The story was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. Prejean has accompanied six prisoners to their executions and has been at the forefront of activism against the death penalty. Her new memoir, 'River of Fire,' details her spiritual journey up to that point.

John Powers reviews the Netflix documentary 'American Factory,' about what happens when a Chinese company opens a factory in Ohio.

Dr. Haider Warraich talks about advancements in treating and preventing heart failure, and explains how the understanding of healthy blood pressure and good cholesterol continues to evolve. His book is 'State of the Heart.'
51 min
August 30, 2019 Emmys Week: Billy Eichner & Randy Rainbow
Billy Eichner's Emmy-nominated series, 'Billy on the Street,' turns open ended questions about pop culture and celebrities into a game show. He talked with Terry Gross in 2016 about coming up with the concept of his man-on-the-street series.

Randy Rainbow writes and performs satirical songs about President Trump set to the melodies of show tunes. "I always considered song parody kind of cheap," the Emmy-nominated performer says. "But ... I've gotten [such a] response from others ... that I'm appreciating it as an art form."
50 min
August 29, 2019 Emmys Week: Natasha Lyonne & Christina Applegate
Natasha Lyonne's character on the Netflix series 'Russian Doll' keeps dying and coming back to life. It's a premise that strikes a chord with the actor; Lyonne had a near-death experience in 2005. She talks with Terry Gross about how that experience informs her work and wanting to be a "tough guy." She's nominated for two Emmys — one for writing and one for starring in the series.

Christina Applegate is nominated for her role in the Netflix series 'Dead to Me,' opposite Linda Cardellini, as a woman grieving the sudden death of her husband. She speaks with Terry Gross about her own experience with grief and loss and what it was like being a teen actor on 'Married with Children.'
50 min
August 28, 2019 Emmys Week: Ava DuVernay & Michael K. Williams
Ava DuVernay is the producer, writer and director of the Netflix series 'When They See Us,' which has 16 Emmy nominations. Told from the perspective of the "Central Park Five" — five black and brown teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of assault and rape in 1989 — the series examines how how officials manipulated the boys into giving false confessions.

We'll also hear from actor Michael K. Williams, who's nominated for his performance in 'When They See Us' as the father of Antron McCray, one of the five boys. Williams became famous for his role as Omar on 'The Wire.'
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

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Number 1: The Roy Cohn Playbook, from McCarthyism to Trump
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Number 4: New drones, deadlier attacks: Dystopian reality in Ukraine
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Number 5: Is Jared Kushner a 'walking conflict of interest'?
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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.