Though Fresh Air has been categorized as a “talk show,” it hardly fits the mold. Its 1994 Peabody Award citation credits Fresh Air with “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insights.” And a variety of top publications count Gross among the country’s leading interviewers. The show gives interviews as much time as needed, and complements them with comments from well-known critics and commentators.
Fresh Air Weekend: Gerwig, Baumbach, Dawes And Polley
In Frances Ha, a 27-year-old (Greta Gerwig) navigates New York City — and the transition from prolonged adolescence to proper adulthood. Gerwig and director Noah Baumbach co-wrote the script. Dawes has a new album, Stories Don't End. In a documentary, Sarah Polley turns the camera on her own family.
Jerry Lee Lewis: Live, Singing As If Life Depended On It
In 1958, Lewis suffered a precipitous decline in popularity when people learned that his new wife was not only 13, but also his cousin. Nobody would touch his records. Then, in 1963, he signed a deal with Smash and it looked like things were getting better.
Bill Hader On Sketch Comedy, Classic Hollywood
This weekend will be Hader's final romp on Saturday Night Live. He joined the cast in 2005 and has been nominated for an Emmy for his character Stefon, an obsessive clubgoer. Hader talks about not understanding how people do standup and about watching old films, which sparked his interest in Hollywood.
The Tricky Business Of Retirement: Hidden 401(K) Fees
You could end up with a lot less savings at 65 than you ever anticipated because of fees charged by the financial institutions managing your retirement accounts. Robert Hiltonsmith, who researches retirement security, says those fees were disclosed to 401(k) plan participants until only recently.
100 Years Of Woody Herman: The Early Bloomer Who Kept Blooming
In a career that ran from the 1930s into the 1980s, and included work in big bands and rock 'n' roll, the clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader changed to reflect the times. Herman would have turned 100 on May 16.
'Into Darkness,' Boldly And With A Few Twists
The 12th film based on Gene Roddenberry's '60s sci-fi TV show is the second to star a new group of actors as Kirk, Spock and their crew. J.J. Abrams returns as director, and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch plays the memorable villain.
A Polley Family Secret, Deftly Pieced Together
In a striking documentary, Sarah Polley turns the camera on her own family. The director and actor, known for films such as Away from Her and The Sweet Hereafter, was teased growing up about not looking like her actor father. At 27, she discovered that it wasn't a joke.
Coming To 'Americanah': Two Tales Of Immigrant Experience
The new book from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a knockout of a novel about immigration that transcends genre. It's everything from a coming-of-age novel to a romance to a comic novel of social manners to an up-to-the-minute meditation on race.
Gerwig, Baumbach Poke At Post-College Pangs
In Frances Ha, a 27-year-old (Greta Gerwig) navigates New York City — and the transition from prolonged adolescence to proper adulthood. Gerwig and director Noah Baumbach co-wrote the script; they join Fresh Air's Terry Gross to talk about the project.
Dawes Knows Where It's Been And Where It's Headed
Dawes has just released its third album, Stories Don't End. The band has cited Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash among its influences, but channels them with good humor and confidence that its own distinctiveness will shine through.
In 'Passage,' Caro Mines LBJ's Changing Political Roles
The fourth volume in Robert Caro's monumental biography of Lyndon Johnson is The Passage of Power; it explores the period between 1958 and 1964 during which Johnson went from powerful Senate majority leader to powerless vice president to — suddenly — president of the United States.
Bing Crosby: From The Vaults, Surprising Breadth
Four albums of reissues and archival recordings from Crosby's own vaults are getting a high-profile release; they demonstrate that his influence on modern singing is so huge, we barely notice it anymore. He could sing anything from Latin to Hawaiian to The Great American Songbook.
Fresh Air Weekend: Messud, Volk And Scorsese
In her new novel, Claire Messud explores the complicated relationship between two women. After reading the memoir of Elsa Schiaparelli, Patricia Volk found a new understanding of beauty. In a talk called "Persistence of Vision: Reading the Language of Cinema," the director spoke about film history.
The 'Real Life' Of Actor Steve Carell
The comedian, also known for his work on The Daily Show and in films such as The 40-Year-Old-Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine, played paper company Dunder Mifflin boss Michael Scott on the hit NBC comedy series The Office for five years. He left the show in 2011.
Jenna Fischer: Keeping It Real At 'The Office'
Jenna Fischer's character on The Office Pam began the show in 2005 with the last name Beesly. Nine years later, having married her coworker Jim Halpert (played by John Krasinsk) Pam Beesly is Pam Halpert. The love affair between Pam and Jim has been one of the show's defining plot-lines.
