Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Fresh Air Weekend: Jon Bon Jovi; Novelist Leigh Bardugo
Bon Jovi talks about his vocal surgery and the road to recovery. Maureen Corrigan reviews a collection of Emily Dickinson's letters. Bardugo's new novel, The Familiar, is set in 16th century Spain.
Obscure Artists Alice Guy-Blaché And Tom Lehrer Get Their Due In 2 New DVDs
by David Bianculli
Forgotten silent filmmaker Guy-Blaché takes center stage in Be Natural, while Live in Copenhagen spotlights more than a dozen songs written and performed by '60s singing satirist Lehrer.
Maggie Gyllenhaal Takes On The Power Imbalance Of Sex Work In 'The Deuce'
by Terry Gross
Gyllenhaal produces and stars in the HBO series, now in its third season, about sex work, porn, organized crime, politics, police and feminism in 1970s New York. Originally broadcast Sept. 20, 2018.
Lana Del Rey Crafts A Hypnotic California Sound On 'Norman F****** Rockwell!'
by Ken Tucker
In the last decade, Del Rey released recordings that expanded our understanding of L.A. pop music. The singer/songwriter's new album is like a series of earthquakes, rendered with supreme confidence.
Clarinetist Ben Goldberg Unites Jazz And Poetry On 'Good Day For Cloud Fishing'
by Kevin Whitehead
Goldberg's mini box set includes 24 new poems by Dean Young — as well as a dozen pieces inspired by Young's poetry. The playfulness on both sides of the equation makes this mixed-media project work.
From Mar-A-Lago To Trump Hotels, Reporter Says Trump Profits As President
by Terry Gross
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Fahrenthold says in the past, an honor system helped keep presidents from using the office to benefit themselves. Not Trump: "He exploits honor systems."
Come Along For The Ride: 'Give Me Liberty' Is A Full-Blown Farce On Wheels
by Justin Chang
A new screwball comedy by filmmaker Kirill Mikhanovsky follows the driver of a medical transport van and his passengers over the course of 24 busy hours in Milwaukee.
Elvis' Guitarist James Burton: 'I Went Professional When I Was 14'
by Terry Gross
Burton played in Ricky Nelson's band, and has been on hundreds of recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. You can hear him on the new box set, Elvis: Live 1969.
Chuck Cleaver Gets Wonderfully Expressive On His First Solo Album
by Ken Tucker
Cleaver, one of the leaders of Wussy, sings about joy, pain, sorrow and regret on Send Aid. The resulting album stands with the best of anything Cleaver has ever done.