Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Elisabeth Moss embraces her best role yet as a secret agent in 'The Veil'
by David Bianculli
Moss plays a British spy on the trail of a woman who may or may not be a terrorist. As the two begin working together, suspicions swirl on both sides.
The Man Behind Wonder Woman Was Inspired By Both Suffragists And Centerfolds
Wonder Woman's creator had a few secrets of his own. Historian Jill Lepore describes William Moulton Marstothe's unusual life in The Secret History of Wonder Woman. Originally broadcast Oct. 27, 2014.
Duke Ellington's 'Plank Session' Offers Snapshots Of A Jazz Master At Work
by Kevin Whitehead
In July 1970, Duke Ellington recorded two tunes engineered by Conny Plank. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says The Conny Plank Session, which is now on CD, is a window onto Ellington's working method.
'Tangerine', A Teeny-Budget Comedy That Packs An Emotional Wallop
by David Edelstein
Sean Baker's bleak, boisterous farce follows two transgender sex workers on Christmas Eve in Los Angeles. David Edelstein says Tangerine is "brilliantly shaped, edited, scored and performed."
From DOMA To Marriage Equality: How The Tide Turned For Gay Marriage
For 25 years, attorney Mary Bonauto and activist Evan Wolfson helped shape the gay marriage movement. They discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling, which represented the culmination of their efforts.
Was This Past Supreme Court Session 'A Liberal Term For The Ages'?
Adam Liptak of The New York Times discusses the court's most recent session and says the rulings reveal deep philosophical differences regarding the role of judges and the Constitution.
Not All Sequels Are Equal: Following Up To 'Terminator', 'Magic Mike'
by David Edelstein
Film critic David Edelstein calls Terminator Genesys "strenuously witless" and "lousy." But, he adds, the loose and fun Magic Mike XXL is "anything but a typical machine-tooled sequel."
Pokey LaFarge Mines His Midwestern Roots, Finds 'Something In The Water'
The singer-songwriter brings his acoustic guitar to the Fresh Air studio to sing some new songs as well as some of his favorites from the 1920s and '30s. Originally broadcast April 27, 2015.
Fresh Air Weekend: Marc Maron On Obama; NYC's Public Library; Art Forgery
Comedian Marc Maron tells Terry Gross about his recent visit with the president. Maureen Corrigan reviews Patience and Fortitude. Noah Charney traces artistic forgeries back to the Renaissance.
Examining The War On Mexican Drug Cartels, Through Film And Fiction
by John Powers
Two new works of art — the documentary film Cartel Land and the novel The Cartel — shine a light on the seemingly endless drug war in Mexico. John Powers says both works are bleak, but gripping.