Fresh Air
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Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
The first 'Jinx' ended with a hot mic murder admission. 'Part Two' shocks as well
by David Bianculli
The Jinx ended with Robert Durst, a wealthy man suspected of multiple murders, making self-incriminating statements on a hot mic. Part Two picks up where the original left off: arrest and conviction.
Tina Fey's War-Zone 'Foxtrot' Falls Out Of Step
by David Edelstein
Fey plays a neophyte reporter charged with covering the Afghanistan occupation in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Critic David Edestein says the film isn't bad, so much as "shapeless and blandly apolitical."
Waco Brothers Mix Country And Punk On 'Going Down In History'
by Ken Tucker
The Waco Brothers recently released their first album of original material in more than a decade. Rock critic Ken Tucker says the music on Going Down in History is "urgent, precise and pointed."
Provocative Book Explores The Connection Between Loneliness And Art
by Maureen Corrigan
Olivia Laing surveys the landscape of urban alienation in her new book, a work that is part-memoir and part-criticism. Critic Maureen Corrigan says The Lonely City is "absolutely one of a kind."
'The Ballad Of Black Tom' Offers A Tribute And Critique Of Lovecraft
Growing up, Victor LaValle loved reading the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft. It wasn't until later that LaValle recognized the racism in Lovecraft's work and felt the need to respond.
Fresh Air Weekend: 'Hap And Leonard'; 'All My Yesterdays'; Maggie Smith
Joe R. Lansdale worked as a janitor before finding success as a writer. Kevin Whitehead reviews a two-CD set featuring Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. Maggie Smith discusses the pressures of acting.
Film Shines A 'Spotlight' On Boston's Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal
Director Tom McCarthy and former Globe editor Walter Robinson discuss Spotlight, the Oscar-nominated film about Boston's clergy sex abuse scandal. Originally broadcast Oct. 29, 2015.
Adam McKay Of 'Funny Or Die' Dissects The '08 Economic Crash In 'The Big Short'
Not only do the characters in McKay's Oscar-nominated film warn about the collapse of the global economy — they make money off of it. Originally broadcast Dec. 23, 2015.
Going For Broke: Atlantic City Falls On Hard Times
Once a grand seaside destination, Atlantic City now faces the prospect of a takeover by the state of New Jersey. Historian Bryant Simon and reporter Amy Rosenberg discuss the city's rise and fall.