Fresh Air

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Fresh Air episodes

April 19, 2025 Best Of: Richard Kind / Melinda French Gates
You've seen Richard Kind on countless TV shows and films during his 40-year career — Only Murders in the Building, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Spin City, and A Serious Man, just to name a few. He's now the announcer and sidekick on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. He spoke with Terry Gross about the new gig and why he's glad he's not that famous.

Melinda French Gates also joins us to talk about her new book, The Next Day, which reflects on motherhood, grief, philanthropy, and life after divorce.

John Powers reviews the new Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

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49 min
April 18, 2025 A Love Story At The Center Of The Civil Rights Movement
MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid tells the story of Medgar Evers and his wife Myrlie. Medgar was the NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, a state that lynched more Black people than any other. The risks of the job created a lot of tension in their marriage — and after Medgar's 1963 assassination, Myrlie's fury drove her to be an activist herself.

And film critic Justin Chang reviews Sinners, the new supernatural thriller by director Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan.

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46 min
April 17, 2025 Starvation In American Jail Cells
New Yorker staff writer Sarah Stillman says she's discovered dozens of cases where people in county jails across the U.S. have died of starvation, dehydration, or related medical crises. Many were people with mental health issues arrested for minor crimes who languished behind bars without treatment, unable to make bail.

Also, we remember renowned jazz critic and Terry Gross' husband, Francis Davis.

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45 min
April 16, 2025 The Real-Life Russian Spies Who Inspired 'The Americans'
In The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West, journalist Shaun Walker shares how agents were trained to blend into a target country and posed as citizens. Walker tells the story of Andrei Olegovich Bezrukov, aka "Donald," and Elena Vavilova, aka "Tracey," who were embedded in Cambridge, Mass. until a 2010 FBI raid. Even their two children didn't know their parents' true identities.

Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to versatile tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.

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46 min
April 15, 2025 Melinda French Gates On Giving Away Her 'Absurd' Wealth
In a new memoir, billionaire Melinda French Gates writes about the end of her marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and her ongoing philanthropic work, directing funds and attention to women's health initiatives. Her book is The Next Day.

Also, David Bianculli reviews the new season of Black Mirror.

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46 min
April 14, 2025 Richard Kind Is Glad He's Not That Famous
Kind is the announcer and host sidekick on the Netflix show Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You must understand — it's anarchy," he says of the show. He spoke with Terry Gross about having ego but no confidence, working with Sondheim, and working in his father's jewelry store as a teen.

Ken Tucker reviews Kendrick Lamar and SZA's single "Luther."

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47 min
April 12, 2025 Best Of: Jason Isbell / David Tennant
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell sings about his split from musician Amanda Shires on his latest album, Foxes in the Snow. "What I was attempting to do is document a very specific time where I was going through a lot of changes," he tells Terry Gross.

David Bianculli reviews the FX/Hulu series Dying for Sex.

When Scottish actor David Tennant was three, he told his parents he wanted to grow up to play Doctor Who on TV. His dream became a reality — he was Doctor Who for five years and, it turns out, he was suited for lots of other characters, including villains and detectives, and the lead in many Shakespeare plays.

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49 min
April 11, 2025 'Hacks' Returns! With Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs
The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedy series returns for a fourth season this week. It's about two women — a successful comic/TV personality in her 70s, and her 20-something comedy writer — and the generational clashes that ensue. We're revisiting interviews with stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, and Paul W. Downs who co-created the series and plays their manager.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Warfare, a movie about U.S. Navy SEALs.

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47 min
April 10, 2025 The Dark Secrets Of Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson recently lost a bid to settle lawsuits that claimed its talc powder products, including baby powder, caused cancer. Author Gardiner Harris says the company's defense "is beginning to crumble." His book is No More Tears.

Also, John Powers reviews the new Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

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45 min
April 09, 2025 Trump's Tariffs & The Radical Remaking Of The Global Economy
President Trump's sweeping tariff policy has upended the global economy. Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist, likens it to The Art of the Deal — on steroids.

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45 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: Stories of survival & loss at Ground Zero
Sep 1147 min
Number 4: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
Sep 2246 min
Number 5: Colin Kaepernick is still fighting – for justice and for his football career
Sep 1446 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.