Fresh Air

By NPRTV & Film Society & Culture Arts Books

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Typical duration
46 min
per episode
If it hooks
56%
finish an episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Fresh Air episodes

June 17, 2025 'Seinfeld' Writer & 'Borat' Director Larry Charles
In his new memoir, Comedy Samurai, Larry Charles reflects on his career in comedy — from writing for Seinfeld to directing Sacha Baron Cohen's films Borat and Brüno — and a recent near-death experience.

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46 min
June 16, 2025 Witnessing Executions In America's Prisons
The Atlantic staff writer Elizabeth Bruenig talks about her decision to serve as a witness to state-sanctioned executions, and what she's learned about mercy, faith and the possibility of redemption.

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45 min
June 14, 2025 Best Of: Writer Ocean Vuong / Comic Atsuko Okatsuka
Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong talks with Tonya Mosley about his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 19 year old grappling with addiction and despair, who forms an unexpected bond with an 82-year-old widow living with dementia. Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan has a review of the book.

And, we hear from comedian Atsuko Okatsuka. She's known for finding humor in the dysfunction of her immigrant family, and the daily responsibilities of being an adult. Her new standup special is about her father, who reappeared in her life after decades away.

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48 min
June 13, 2025 Remembering Brian Wilson, Leader Of The Beach Boys
Wilson, who has died at the age of 82, was the creative force behind The Beach Boys. He wrote and produced many of their hits, including "I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda," and "God Only Knows." Wilson spoke to Terry Gross in 1988 and 1998 about creating the distinctive Beach Boys sound and his decision to leave the Beach Boys to pursue a solo career. Plus, Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Willie Nelson and Ken Pomeroy.

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47 min
June 13, 2025 Benicio del Toro On Living In Wes Anderson's World
Benicio del Toro talks about his leading role in Wes Anderson's new film, The Phoenician Scheme. He'll look back on his acting career, and tell us about moving from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in his teens. His other movies include The Usual Suspects, Traffic and Sicario.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews Materialists.

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44 min
June 11, 2025 Inside DOGE, Post Elon Musk
Washington Post Reporter Hannah Natanson says DOGE's mass firings made the government more inefficient. She also explains the risks of DOGE creating a massive database for the Trump administration. "There's a great deal of concern over how basically the Trump administration has taken every tool at their disposal and weaponized a lot of the federal government," she tells Terry Gross.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews The Very Heart of It, by Thomas Mallon. It's a new collection of his diaries from 1983 to '94, which includes when he came out, and the years of the AIDS crisis and how it decimated the gay community.

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46 min
June 10, 2025 Molly Jong-Fast Grew Up With A Mother Addicted To Fame
MSNBC political analyst Molly Jong-Fast's mother Erica Jong became famous from her 1973 novel Fear of Flying, which was considered a groundbreaking work of feminist literature. But Molly's mom became addicted to the fame and couldn't bear to lose it. She talks about her childhood and a year of great loss in her new memoir, How to Lose Your Mother.

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45 min
June 09, 2025 Comic Atsuko Okatsuka Is Owning Her 'Freak'
Okatsuka is known for her bowl haircut — and for finding humor in the dysfunction of her immigrant family. Her new standup special, Father, is about her dad, who reappeared in her life after decades away. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about being a caretaker, her signature style, and following in the footsteps of Margaret Cho.

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45 min
June 07, 2025 Best Of: The Innovation Of 'I Love Lucy' / Mark Hamill
Playing Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, made Desi Arnaz a star. Behind the scenes, he created what became standard procedures for producing, shooting, lighting and broadcasting TV sitcoms. Author Todd Purdum talks about his new book Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television.

Also, we hear from Mark Hamill. He's in the new movie The Life of Chuck and is known for playing the iconic hero Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies. He talks about auditioning for the film and acting with puppets.

Plus, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new HBO documentary, Pee-Wee as Himself.

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50 min
June 06, 2025 Why We Remember / 'Simpsons' Composer Alf Clausen
Do you have trouble remembering names and faces, or where you put your keys? Neurologist Dr. Charan Ranganath talks about the latest research into memory. His book is called Why We Remember.

Alf Clausen, the Emmy-winning composer, arranger and orchestrator behind the music and song parodies on The Simpsons, died at 84. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1997.

And Justin Chang reviews the new film The Life of Chuck, based on a novella by Stephen King. TV critic David Bianculli recommends an upcoming live TV production of George Clooney's Broadway hit, Good Night, and Good Luck.

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47 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
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Number 4: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
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Number 5: Colin Kaepernick is still fighting – for justice and for his football career
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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.