
Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.

Legal scholar sees immigrant arrests as a 'struggle for the soul of the country'
As ICE agents arrest international students at campuses across the U.S., professor Daniel Kanstroom discusses the law — and the human cost. He says the round-ups are designed to "send a message."
Remembering David Johansen, the New York Dolls co-founder who paved the way for punk
by Terry Gross
The 1970s band the New York Dolls was hugely influential, despite making only two studio albums. Today we remember Johansen, aka Buster Poindexter, who died Feb. 28. Originally broadcast in 2004.
How did 'DEI' become part of a larger political agenda -- and a slur?
by Tonya Mosley
Georgetown professor Ella Washington and Harvard professor Frank Dobbin discuss the beneficiaries and misperceptions of DEI, and who will be hurt as it's dismantled across public and private sectors.
Celebrating Mardi Gras with New Orleans clarinetist and vocalist Doreen Ketchens
by Tonya Mosley
Known as "Lady Louie," Ketchens has been a fixture of the French Quarter for nearly four decades. We talk about her classical training and her career as a street performer, and she'll play some music.
Adrien Brody drew on his family's immigration story for his role in 'The Brutalist'
Brody is nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who seeks a fresh start in post-WWII America. Originally broadcast Jan. 7, 2025.
Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong reflect on Trump, power and 'The Apprentice'
Stan and Strong are nominated for Oscars for The Apprentice. Stan plays the president early in his career, while Strong plays Trump mentor Roy Cohn. Originally broadcast Feb. 2025, and Dec. 2024.
'Fresh Air' remembers Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman
by Terry Gross
Hackman, who was found dead on Feb. 26, appeared in scores of films, including Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection, Unforgiven, and The Royal Tenenbaums. Originally broadcast in 1999.
'A Thousand Blows' packs a punch as it chronicles London's Victorian-era boxing scene
by David Bianculli
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has a new period drama, set in 1880s London and featuring a cast of tough, yet vulnerable characters trying to outwit and outlast competing criminal elements.