Fresh Air

The Dramatic Overhaul Of The Justice Dept.

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The New Yorker’s Ruth Marcus says Bondi has presided over the DOJ's most convulsive transition of power since Watergate, aggressively reversing poli...

Spike Lee On Dynamic Duos & Reimagining Kurosawa

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spike Lee's new film, Highest 2 Lowest, centers on a music mogul (Denzel Washington) who faces a moral dilemma when kidnappers mistakenly hold his fr...

Bowen Yang's 'Wicked' White Lie

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live cast member talks with Terry Gross about his favorite pop culture in the aughts, his SNL audition, and his ...

Thomas Mallon

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Writer Thomas Mallon looks back on the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when he was in his 30s, living in Manhattan. His friends were sick or dead, ...

Best Of: AI's Writing Critique / The Rise And Fall Of Condé Nast

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After writing chapters of her new book about how tech companies help and exploit us, tech journalist and novelist Vauhini Vara fed those chapters to ...

Pedro Pascal Got Fired A Lot

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal has faced countless on-screen challenges, including cosmic battles and cartel kingpins. He's nominated for an Emmy for...

Musician Charley Crockett's Road From Busking To The Grammys

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Crockett grew up poor and got his start in music busking for tips on the street and in the subway. He's since played the Hollywood Bowl and been nomin...

Jeff Hiller's Big Break Came In His 40s

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hiller spent years scraping by in Hollywood by taking on various small roles and commercials. Then he landed the role of Joel on HBO's Somebody Somew...

Daniel Dae Kim Fakes His Own Death In 'Butterfly'

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Dae Kim became the first actor of Asian descent to be nominated for a Tony, for his performance in Yellow Face, in the role of a playwright try...

Best Of: Making 'Born To Run' / Why We Can't Sleep

09 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's album Born to Run. We'll talk with Peter Ames Carlin, author of a Tonight in Jungleland, ...

Remembering Eddie Palmieri / Funk Innovator George Clinton

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We remember Eddie Palmieri, the pianist, bandleader and composer whose contributions to Afro-Caribbean music shaped the genre for decades. He died Wed...

The Making Of Springsteen's 'Born To Run'

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bruce Springsteen's groundbreaking album, Born to Run, came out 50 years ago this month, marking a turning point for rock and roll — and for "The Bo...

The Nihilistic War In Sudan

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fourteen million people in Sudan have been displaced by war and famine. The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum says the scale of destruction is vast and, as th...

Sarah Silverman Gets the Last Laugh in 'PostMortem'

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point fo...

How The 1979 Revolution Transformed Iran

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, Iran has been an adversary of the United States. Scott Anderson examines the Iranian revolution of 1979, the upheaval that deposed the re...

Best Of: Mariska Hargitay / Marc Maron

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emmy-winning Law & Order: SVU actor Mariska Hargitay talks about her new documentary, My Mom Jayne, an intimate portrait of her mother, the late Holly...

Correcting The Record On Elvis's Manager

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Terry Gross talks with rock historian Peter Guralnick, author of the definitive two volume biography of Elvis Presley. His new book is about Elvis's l...

Has NASA Ceded Its Mission To Elon Musk?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Atlantic journalist Franklin Foer explains how SpaceX and the Trump administration are changing the face of NASA, and why Musk's dream of Mars may...

Comic Marc Maron On Grief, Cats, And Being Openhearted

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As he winds down his podcast, WTF, after 16 years, Marc Maron reflects on what he'll miss: "These conversations are very real conversations for me ......

Mariska Hargitay On Freeing Herself From Generational Trauma

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Law & Order: SVU actor was just 3 years old in 1967 when her movie star mom, Jayne Mansfield, died in a car crash. Hargitay's new documentary high...

Best Of: Actor Leslie Uggams / Martha's Vineyard's Indigenous Past & Present

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Actor and singer Leslie Uggams talks about her remarkable career, which started when she was 6. She was later the first Black woman to host a TV varie...

Remembering Lyricist Alan Bergman / The 'Outrageous' Jessica Mitford

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The lyrics for the songs "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," "The Way We Were," "Nice 'n' Easy," "You Must Believe in Spring," and "The Windmi...

The Shifting Landscape Of Higher Education

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has been pressuring elite universities, like Harvard and Columbia, with widespread demands, and threats of federal funding cu...

A Chatbot Reacts To A Book About Tech

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After writing chapters of her new book about how tech companies help and exploit us, tech journalist and novelist Vauhini Vara fed those chapters to C...

Leslie Uggams Looks Back On Her Decades In Show Business

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Uggams performed in Beulah, Hallelujah Baby, Roots, Empire, American Fiction and the Deadpool films. She was the first Black woman to host a TV variet...

Martha's Vineyard's Indigenous Past & Present

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Nothing More of This Land, Aquinnah Wampanoag writer Joseph Lee takes readers past the celebrity summer scene and into the heart of Noepe, the name...

Best Of: Stacey Abrams / Raphael Saadiq

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stacey Abrams is known as a voting rights activist, former candidate for Georgia governor, and founder of Fair Fight Action. But she's also a bestsell...

In The Dugout With Baseball All Stars

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Major League Baseball celebrates a memorable All Star Game, we feature some of our favorite baseball interviews – with crafty veteran pitcher Jam...

Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit d...

The Dominance & Decline Of The Condé Nast Magazine Empire

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, Condé Nast publications such as Vogue and Vanity Fair were consequential tastemakers. Writer Michael Grynbaum explores the heyday of the...

Rising Floods, Cuts To FEMA And Future Chaos

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ProPublica Editor-at-Large Abrahm Lustgarten says the deadly flooding in Central Texas — which has killed over 130 people — underscores the danger...

Stacey Abrams On American Autocracy & Her New Chapter

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Abrams isn't running for office — but she's not ruling it out, either. "Politics is a tool ... for getting good done, but it's not the only one." He...

The 'Jailhouse Lawyer' Who Freed Innocent People — Including Himself

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While serving a life sentence for a murder he didn't commit, Calvin Duncan studied law, hoping to appeal his case. In the process he became a jailhous...

Best Of: A 'Failed' Child Star / A Novel About Pregnancy Post-Roe

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tamara Yajia grew up Jewish in Argentina, intent on becoming a child star. But just when her break was coming along, her family emigrated to Californi...

Danzy Senna Writes Herself (& Other Mixed-Race People) Into Existence

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Novelist Danzy Senna spoke with Terry Gross about racial identity, growing up with a Black father and white mother in an era when "mixed-race" wasn't ...

SCOTUS & The Reconception Of American Constitutional Order

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New York Times reporter Adam Liptak discusses the Supreme Court's decisions to limit the power of lower courts while expanding presidential power, and...

Doula & Novelist Leila Mottley On The Nuance Of Young Parenthood

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leila Mottley gained critical acclaim at 19 with her debut novel Nightcrawling, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Now, she returns with her s...

Raphael Saadiq's Secret To Creative Success: 'Dare To Suck'

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Raphael Saadiq talks about his process — from collaborating with Beyoncé and ...

Can't Sleep? You're Not Alone

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jennifer Senior has had insomnia for 25 years. Her new piece in The Atlantic, "Why Can't Americans Sleep?," is about her...

Best Of: 'Hamilton' Producer Jeffrey Seller / Ebon Moss-Bachrach On 'The Bear'

05 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jeffrey Seller has been a key behind-the-scenes figure for some of the Broadway's biggest hits including, Hamilton and RENT, but he got his start on a...

How Louis Armstrong Became The First Black Pop Star

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author Ricky Riccardi says Armstrong's innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist helped set the entire soundtrack of the 20th century. His book about Ar...

A 'Failed Child Star' Looks Back On Her Unconventional Childhood

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tamara Yajia grew up Jewish in Argentina, intent on becoming a child star. But just when her break was coming along, her family emigrated to Californi...

How Communities, Families & The Economy Are Impacted By ICE

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jacob Soboroff of NBC News says the Trump administration promised to deport the "worst of the worst" criminal immigrants, but is now detaining undocum...

Remembering Renowned Broadcaster Bill Moyers

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Longtime TV correspondent and commentator Bill Moyers died last week at age 91. Before he began his long career in broadcasting, he was presidential a...

A Theater Kid's Path To Broadway Producer

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jeffrey Seller has been a key behind-the-scenes figure for some of the Broadway's biggest hits including, Hamilton and RENT, but he got his start on a...

Best Of: 'Hysterical' Podcaster / 'Seinfeld' Writer

28 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a former federal government employee turns his lens on the psychology of panic? You get Hysterical, a podcast series from Dan Tabers...

Remembering War Correspondent Rod Nordland

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After surviving many close calls as a war correspondent — from bullets, mortars and the threat of execution — Rod Nordland was diagnosed with a le...

Virgil Abloh's Unconventional Path To Luxury Fashion

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Robin Givhan talks with Tonya Mosley about her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. ...

Ebon Moss-Bachrach Takes Us Inside 'The Bear' Kitchen

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ebon Moss-Bachrach has won two Emmys for his portrayal of Cousin Richie, the abrasive and ornery cook/maître d' on the FX series The Bear. The show i...

Will Israel And The U.S. Attacks On Iran Affect Tehran's Regime?

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour has called Trump's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities a once-in-a-generation event that could transform the Middle East...

Gen Z Is Having Less Sex. Why?

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Carter Sherman says Gen Z — people ages 13 to 28 — are having less sex than previous generations. As part of her research, Sherman inte...

Best Of: Benicio del Toro / Molly Jong-Fast

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 abo...

Remembering Pioneer Of Gay Lit, Edmund White

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Edmund White, one of the most eloquent and perceptive chroniclers of gay life and culture, died June 3. He was 85. His 1982 semi-autobiographical nov...

Painter Titus Kaphar On 'Exhibiting Forgiveness'

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When painter, sculptor, and installation artist Titus Kaphar's life was upended by his estranged father, he turned to film. First he decided to tell h...

Podcaster Dan Taberski's Investigation Into An Outbreak Of A Mysterious Illness

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Taberski's award-winning podcast Hysterical investigates a bizarre and unsettling phenomenon: a mysterious illness that swept through a group of h...

'Seinfeld' Writer & 'Borat' Director Larry Charles

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Witnessing Executions In America's Prisons

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Atlantic staff writer Elizabeth Bruenig talks about her decision to serve as a witness to state-sanctioned executions, and what she's learned abou...

Best Of: Writer Ocean Vuong / Comic Atsuko Okatsuka

14 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 f...

Remembering Brian Wilson, Leader Of The Beach Boys

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Benicio del Toro On Living In Wes Anderson's World

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 abo...

Inside DOGE, Post Elon Musk

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Washington Post Reporter Hannah Natanson says DOGE's mass firings made the government more inefficient. She also explains the risks of DOGE creating a...

Molly Jong-Fast Grew Up With A Mother Addicted To Fame

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

MSNBC political analyst Molly Jong-Fast's mother Erica Jong became famous from her 1973 novel Fear of Flying, which was considered a groundbreaking wo...

Comic Atsuko Okatsuka Is Owning Her 'Freak'

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Best Of: The Innovation Of 'I Love Lucy' / Mark Hamill

07 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Playing Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy, made Desi Arnaz a star. Behind the scenes, he created what became standard procedures for producing, shooting, l...

Why We Remember / 'Simpsons' Composer Alf Clausen

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have trouble remembering names and faces, or where you put your keys? Neurologist Dr. Charan Ranganath talks about the latest research into me...

Ocean Vuong Sees Himself More As A Teacher Than A Writer

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Poet and novelist Ocean Vuong joins us to discuss his new novel, The Emperor of Gladness. Set in a fictional small town in Connecticut, it follows a 1...

The Face-Off Between Harvard & The Trump Administration

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has frozen around 3 billion dollars in Harvard grants and contracts, and is trying to stop the university's ability to enroll...

To Shed Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill Turned To Voiceover Work

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker, one of the most iconic heroes in movie history. His latest film, The Life of Chuck, is an adaptation of a Stephen K...

With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Desi Arnaz was more than just "second b...

Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola

31 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Comic Sarah Silverman talks about her new Netflix special, PostMortem, about the death of her father and stepmother, 9 days apart. She talks with Terr...

A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Filmmaker and stunt coordinator David Leitch says it's easier to do stunts himself than direct his stunt performer friends. "You are responsible for t...

Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point fo...

The Talented Mr. Vance

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Atlantic writer George Packer calls JD Vance the most interesting figure in the Trump administration: "He's capable of complex thought, and I also...

Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

James Patterson's books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. He says he often gets ideas for them late at night. His latest, The #1 Dad Book, ...

Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the holiday weekend, we're revisiting our recent interview with Questlove. His documentary, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), examines ...

Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age

24 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with New York Times tech reporter K...

Remembering Broadway Composer Charles Strouse

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We remember Broadway composer Charles Strouse, who died May 15 at age 96. He wrote the music for the hit musicals Bye Bye Birdie and Annie, which incl...

Walton Goggins Was Raised By A Village

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Walton Goggins talks with Tonya Mosley about growing up poor in the Deep South, the travel that changed him, and collaborating with his wife. He says ...

Professors Are Using A.I., Too. Now What?

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Colleges and universities have been trying to fight against students using tools like ChatGPT to do class assignments and communicate. But here's a tw...

Inside The "Cover-Up" Of President Biden's Decline

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

CNN host Jake Tapper's book, Original Sin, co-authored by Alex Thompson, describes a president who struggled to function: "One person told us that the...

Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!'

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Escola gives former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln a wild second act in the Tony-nominated play Oh, Mary! "This play is about a woman with a dream that ...

Best Of: Ramy Youssef / Danny McBride

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ramy Youssef's new animated comedy series, #1 Happy Family USA, is about an Egyptian American Muslim family living in New Jersey, after 9/11, trying t...

Zombies Frontman Colin Blunstone

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There's a new documentary about the '60s British band The Zombies. It's called 'Hung Up on a Dream' and it's streaming on Amazon Prime. We're listenin...

Navigating The 'Wellness' Epidemic

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Amy Larocca says our society's obsession with optimization and self-care has reached a fever pitch. She unpacks what it really means to tak...

His Cancer Meds Were Nearly $1K A Pill. How Did That Happen?

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ProPublica reporter David Armstrong began investigating the pharmaceutical industry when he learned a single pill of his cancer treatment costs about ...

Ramy Youssef Animates A Muslim Family's Post-9/11 Life

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Ramy Youssef was in 5th grade and living in New Jersey when the Twin Towers fell. His new Amazon Prime animated show, #1 Happy Family USA, draws...

'Righteous Gemstones' Creator Danny McBride's Love Letter To The South

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Georgia native has seen how Hollywood traffics in stereotypes about the American South. He talks with Tonya Mosley about making creative work that...

Best Of: Michelle Williams / Sarah Snook

10 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Williams talks about starring in Dying For Sex — a dark but funny TV series based on a true story about a woman with stage four cancer who,...

R. Crumb, King Of Underground Comics

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

R. Crumb created Zap Comix and such characters as Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat. His comics were a staple of the 1960s counterculture, and came out of...

Having A Child In The Digital Age

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When NYT critic-at-large Amanda Hess learned her unborn child had an abnormality, she turned to the internet — but didn't find reassurance. "My rela...

President Trump's Conflicts Of Interest

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New York Times reporter Eric Lipton says the Trump family businesses, including their crypto company, are capitalizing on the President's position, an...

Michelle Williams Insists On Finding Pleasure & Humor Alongside Pain

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Williams' FX/Hulu series Dying For Sex follows a woman with terminal cancer who decides to pursue her own sexual pleasure. She says the show ...

Sarah Snook Almost Didn't Audition For 'Succession'

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Snook, who played Shiv Roy on Succession, was just nominated for a Tony for playing all the characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway. "I d...

Best Of: Inside The Pronatalist Movement / Making Sense Of Trauma

03 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're diving into the resurgence of the pronatalism movement, the belief that having more babies will save a failing civilization. With new Trump-back...

A Story Of Shipwreck, Mutiny And Murder

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

David Grann's book, The Wager, is about an 18th century British warship that wrecked on an island after passing through the treacherous waters of Cape...

Terry Gross Remembers Her Late Husband, Francis Davis

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh Air host Terry Gross lost her husband, acclaimed writer Francis Davis, on April 14. They were together for 47 years. Today, she shares some of F...

Baby Bonuses, Trad Wives & The Pronatalist Movement

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A once-fringe movement claims having more babies is the only way to save civilization. NPR reporter Lisa Hagen and sociologist Karen Guzzo explain who...

How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist David Graham says the aim of the creators of the conservative action plan Project 2025 aim is to push the federal government "as far to the...

How Trauma Shapes Us

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Daria Burke spent several years digging into the science of how our brains and bodies carry the imprint of early experiences. She wanted to understand...

Best Of: 'The Pitt' Star Noah Wyle / 'Sinners' Director Ryan Coogler

26 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ryan Coogler's movies include both Black Panther films and Creed. His latest fillm, Sinners, is a vampire thriller about twi...