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Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
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Fresh Air Weekend: Celebrating movie icons Steven Spielberg and Carrie Fisher
In 2022, Spielberg describes himself as a fearful kid who found solace in storytelling. In 2016, opened up about Star Wars, the famous gold bikini and her on-set affair co-star with Harrison Ford.
Swamp Dogg's 'Blackgrass' is one of the best country albums of the year
by Ken Tucker
Swamp Dogg, aka Jerry Williams Jr., began his career in the 1960s. Now 81, he demonstrates that, in his long career in R&B, soul and funk, country is another road he’s traveled.
Colson Whitehead channels the paranoia and fear of 1970s NYC in 'Crook Manifesto'
"My early '70s New York is dingy and grimy," the Pulitzer Prize-winning author says. Whitehead's sequel to Harlem Shuffle centers on crime at every level. Originally broadcast July 24, 2023.
A mild-mannered professor assumes the persona of a 'Hit Man' in this twisted tale
by David Bianculli
Loosely based on a true story, Richard Linklater's film about a professor working with the police features strong performances, shrewd writing and a light and funny tone.
MSNBC host Ali Velshi chronicles his ancestors’ migrations across three continents
by Dave Davies
In his memoir, Small Acts of Courage, Velshi traces his family’s journey, from India to South Africa — where his grandfather crossed paths with Mahatma Gandhi — to Kenya, Canada and the U.S.
In 1981, this Sondheim musical flopped. Now 'Merrily We Roll Along' is a hit
by Terry Gross
The Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about three friends received seven Tony nominations. We talk with director Maria Friedman, who was a friend of Sondheim's, and actor Jonathan Groff.
For 'Such Kindness' novelist Andre Dubus III, chronic pain is a fact of life
by Terry Gross
Dubus talks about the injuries he faced as a carpenter and his relationship with his dad. His a new collection of personal essays is Ghost Dogs: On Killers and Kin. Originally broadcast in 2023.
'You didn’t See Nothin’' podcast revisits a 1997 Chicago hate crime and its aftermath
by Tonya Mosley
Yohance Lacour tells the story of Lenard Clark, a 13-year-old Black boy who was beaten into a coma after riding his bike into a predominantly white neighborhood — and the importance of the case today.
Humor and horror make great bedfellows in the final season of ‘Evil’
by David Bianculli
The Paramount+ show about the paranormal continues to surprise. Sometimes the demons manifest themselves in very scary ways. Other times, they’re sexy — or silly.