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: Kathleen Hanna; Tyler James Williams
Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement. Maureen Corrigan reviews This Strange Eventful History. Abbott Elementary star Williams pays it forward to the kids on set.
Remembering Tom Smothers, TV pioneer and satirist
Tom Smothers, who died Dec. 26, was one half of the comedy duo The Smothers Brothers. We listen back to an interview with Tom and Dick Smothers from 1985, and an interview with just Tom in 1997.
'The Brothers Sun' is a freewheeling, messy and quite entertaining comedy-thriller
by John Powers
The jokes and bodies pile up in this eight-part Netflix series about a Taiwanese assassin who travels to L.A. to protect his goofy younger brother and his formidable mother, played by Michelle Yeoh.
How medications like Ozempic are revolutionizing the weight loss industry
by Tonya Mosley
Bloomberg News reporter Emma Court explains how these so-called "miracle drugs" work, and discusses side effects, long-term impacts, and what it all means for the body positivity movement.
Remembering 'Full Monty' actor Tom Wilkinson
by Dave Davies
The British actor, who died Dec. 30, appeared with Helen Mirren in the series Prime Suspect and later earned Oscar nominations for In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton. Originally broadcast in 2005.
Restaurateur Rose Previte shares recipes she learned from women around the world
by Tonya Mosley
Previte's restaurants serve food inspired by her extensive travels and the home-cooked Lebanese dishes of her childhood. Her new cookbook is Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond.
'Prophet Song' is a beautifully-written, slow descent into fascism
by Maureen Corrigan
Most of the characters in Paul Lynch's Booker Prize-winning novel don't want to believe that tyranny is taking shape before their eyes, even as power is cut off and democratic freedoms evaporate.
Barbra Streisand shares her secret for keeping performances honest
by Terry Gross
When she was starring in Funny Girl on Broadway, Streisand says she'd alter the music slightly each night. Her new memoir is My Name is Barbra. Originally broadcast Nov. 8, 2023.
Jazz band the EarRegulars stop in for live music and conversation
by Sam Briger
Trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and guitarist Matt Munisteri, founding members of the NYC band The EarRegulars, play tunes from their new album, Live at the Ear Inn. Originally broadcast Nov. 22, 2023.
In a tough year for podcasts, these 3 stood above the rest
by Nick Quah
The podcasting world faced layoffs, retrenchment, and cancellations in 2023, but amidst the turmoil, "If Books Could Kill," "You Didn't See Nothin" and "The Retrievals" topped the list of offerings.
'Music was there for me when I needed it,' The Roots co-founder Tariq Trotter says
by Tonya Mosley
Trotter, aka Black Thought, reflects on his childhood in Philly, his decades-long friendship with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. Trotter's memoir is The Upcycled Self. Originally broadcast Nov. 7, 2023.