Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including weekly bonus episodes and curated playlists of archive interviews from Fresh Air. And subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Fresh Air Weekly, to get interview highlights, staff recommendations, gems from the archive, and the week's interviews and reviews all in one place. Sign up at www.whyy.org/freshair
Jared Kushner’s dual role as an unofficial American diplomat and a private equity manager creates significant ethical concerns regarding the intersection of foreign policy and personal financial gain. Through his firm, Affinity Partners, Kushner has secured billions in funding from sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabi...
Danielle Brooks reflects on her multifaceted acting career, from her breakout role as Tasty in Orange Is the New Black to her acclaimed portrayal of Sophia in The Color Purple. Raised in a devout household by a minister mother and deacon father, Brooks credits her church upbringing for her deep emotional connection to ...
Colin Kaepernick discusses his memoir, The Perilous Fight, detailing the formative experiences that shaped his perspective on race and systemic injustice. He recounts a childhood incident of racial harassment that underscored his need to navigate white-dominated environments independently. Kaepernick clarifies that his...
The Mojave Desert faces significant environmental degradation due to large-scale solar energy development, a conflict explored in Claire Vaye Watkins’ novel Yellow Pine. Watkins highlights the tension between the necessity of decarbonization and the preservation of fragile ecosystems and local communities. Meanwhile, d...
The 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks centers on the harrowing experiences of first responders and the enduring impact of the tragedy on New York City. Former FDNY Deputy Chief Jay Jonas recounts the life-saving decision to assist a civilian during the North Tower collapse, while retired firefighter Ken Ha...
The WNBA is currently navigating a period of unprecedented growth and intense cultural scrutiny, marked by record viewership and a landmark media rights deal. While stars like Caitlin Clark have propelled the league into the national consciousness, this popularity has simultaneously transformed the WNBA into a politica...
The 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks marks a fundamental shift in American life, characterized by the institutionalization of the "War on Terror" and the erosion of public space. Richard Beck, author of Homeland: The War on Terror in American Life, argues that the post-9/11 era normalized Islamophobia, expa...
Casey Gerald, author of The Great Refusal: A New Vision of Resistance, challenges the conventional American dream by advocating for a radical rejection of societal expectations that demand the sacrifice of one's soul for professional success. After achieving elite status through Yale, Harvard, and high-profile nonprofi...
Rosanne Cash explores the personal and artistic significance of her 2009 album, The List, a collection of songs curated by her father, Johnny Cash, in 1973. Originally intended as a musical education for the then-18-year-old, the list became a profound bridge to her father’s heritage and a template for songwriting. Rec...
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II reflects on his career trajectory, from his background in architecture and city planning to his Emmy-nominated role in the Marvel series Wonder Man. He addresses the challenges of navigating the industry, the impact of his stutter on his performance, and the complexities of Black-led projects with...
Gloria Steinem’s legacy as a feminist icon, writer, and activist centers on her role in launching Ms. magazine and challenging systemic gender inequality. Her career reflects the evolution of the women’s movement, moving from early struggles to gain media representation to broader societal shifts. Personal experiences,...
Director Paul Greengrass explores the intersection of historical rebellion and contemporary social rage in his new film, The Uprising, which depicts the 1381 Peasants' Revolt. Drawing parallels between medieval inequality and modern political turbulence, Greengrass emphasizes the role of collective trauma and the searc...
Big Tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI are systematically embedding their hardware and software into the U.S. public education system to cultivate lifelong brand loyalty and market dominance. By framing their products as essential tools for digital literacy and AI readiness, these corporations influence ...
John Coltrane’s centennial celebration highlights the enduring influence of his transformative jazz legacy. Ravi Coltrane, his son, reflects on his father’s transcendent tone, the radical improvisational shifts in albums like Ascension, and the spiritual depth that defined his parents' work. The discussion emphasizes t...
Administrative burdens—the "time tax"—force individuals to navigate complex, time-consuming, and often exclusionary bureaucratic systems to access essential rights and benefits. These hurdles, ranging from complicated government forms to inaccessible polling locations, disproportionately affect low-income, sick, and di...
Jason Segel and Lisa Kudrow share insights into their acting careers and the personal experiences shaping their recent performances. Segel details his role in Shrinking, a series depicting a therapist’s unconventional, directive approach to patient care that mirrors his own positive experiences with similar therapeutic...
This episode pays tribute to the late actor Tim Curry, reflecting on his iconic portrayal of Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and his diverse career in theater, film, and voice acting. Curry recounts the accidental origins of his character’s signature voice and the cultural phenomenon surrounding the fil...
The satirical series Bait examines the profound disconnect between a performer’s public image and their vulnerable private life. Creator and star Riz Ahmed uses the James Bond archetype as a symbol of unattainable success, illustrating the internal chaos of a character chasing acceptance at the cost of his identity. Th...
Dolly Parton’s legacy as a singer, songwriter, and cultural icon is celebrated through an archival 2001 interview, highlighting her deep connection to traditional mountain and bluegrass music. Parton reflects on her upbringing in the Smoky Mountains, where she learned to channel personal heartbreak into songs like "Lit...
National security correspondent Joby Warrick examines the life of Carlos the Jackal, the Venezuelan Marxist who became the world’s first international super-terrorist in the 1970s. Carlos pioneered modern terrorism by targeting civilians and infrastructure to force global media attention on the Palestinian cause. His c...
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