Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Barbara Walters forged a path for women in journalism, but not without paying a price
by Tonya Mosley
Walters was the first woman to co-anchor a national news show on prime time television. "The path she cut is one that many of us have followed," says biographer Susan Page, author of The Rulebreaker.
Jon Stewart and John Oliver return, offering voices of outrage and comic relief
by David Bianculli
In February, Oliver returned for a new season of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO, and Stewart came back to host The Daily Show on Mondays. Both prove that they're the best at what they do.
'Grief Is for People' is an idiosyncratic reflection on friendship and loss
by Maureen Corrigan
Sloane Crosley's memoir about a friend who died by suicide takes the form of a "traditional" elegy, but there's nothing traditional about Crosley's arresting observations on being engulfed by grief.
RuPaul reflects on growing up Black and queer — and forging his own path
by Tonya Mosley
The Emmy-winning host of RuPaul's Drag Race describes himself as "an introvert masquerading as an extrovert." He reflects on the first 40 years of his life in the memoir The House of Hidden Meanings.
Remembering Richard Lewis, a veteran stand-up comedian with a caustic wit
by Terry Gross
The Brooklyn-born comic made his standup debut in 1971. His routines were full of biting takes on love, life, and physical and mental health. Lewis died Feb. 27. Originally broadcast in '88 and 2000.
Paul Giamatti's own high school years came in handy in 'The Holdovers'
by Sam Briger
Giamatti is nominated for an Oscar for his role as a pompous boarding school teacher who's assigned to supervise a student who has nowhere to go over winter break. Originally broadcast Jan. 10, 2024.
Tracing the rise of Christian nationalism, from Trump to the Ala. Supreme Court
by Terry Gross
Bradley Onishi is a former Christian nationalist who's now a professor of religion and the author of Preparing for War, a critique of the movement and its impact on American democracy.