Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Remembering filmmaker Roger Corman, king of B-movies
Corman, who died May 9, made hundreds of films, including the cult classics House of Usher and A Bucket of Blood. We listen back to a 1990 interview, plus critic John Powers offers an appreciation.
Celebrating Sinatra's Centennial: A Biographer Reflects On Ol' Blue Eyes
On the eve of what would have been Sinatra's 100th birthday, Fresh Air re-airs an interview with musical biographer Will Friedwald, author of Sessions With Sinatra. Originally broadcast in 1997.
'The Big Short' Puts A Suspenseful, Comic Spin On The 2008 Financial Meltdown
by David Edelstein
Adam McKay lampoons the financiers who contributed to the collapse of the subprime mortgage market in his new film, The Big Short. Critic David Edelstein calls it "one of the best films of the year."
Remembering Islamic Feminist Fatema Mernissi
Mernissi, a Moroccan sociologist whose books include Beyond the Veil, Islam and Democracy and Dreams of Trespass, died in Morocco on Nov. 30. She was 75. Originally broadcast in 1993.
The U.S. Has A Mass Shooting Epidemic, But No Government Database On Gun Violence
In 2012, journalist Mark Follman searched for comprehensive data about America's mass shootings and found that very little existed. So he and his colleagues began compiling a database of their own.
Remembering Holly Woodlawn, Muse To Lou Reed's 'Wild Side'
Woodlawn, the transgender woman who inspired the first verse of Reed's 1973 hit "Walk on the Wild Side," died of cancer Sunday. She was 69. Originally broadcast in 1991.
From 'Scarface' To 'Sopranos': Remembering Character Actor Robert Loggia
Best known for his roles as cops and outlaws, Loggia died Friday from complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He was 85. Originally broadcast in 1987.
Percussive Piano And Rollicking Swing Float Matthew Shipp's 'Conduct Of Jazz'
by Kevin Whitehead
Shipp, a mainstay of New York's downtown free jazz scene, likes big blocky chords and loud piano sounds. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the new album by the Matthew Shipp trio is "heavy in a good way."