When Terry asked Jay-Z why male rappers grab themselves on stage (Fresh Air+)

Legendary record producer & manager Peter Asher

Jul 7, 202646 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air, producer and former musician Peter Asher reflects on his remarkable journey through the heart of the 1960s music revolution. Asher, best known as one-half of the duo Peter and Gordon, shares personal anecdotes about his unique proximity to the Beatles, including the story of how Paul McCartney lived with the Asher family and wrote hits like "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in their basement. The conversation delves into the cultural shift of the British Invasion and how Asher transitioned from a performer to a pioneering industry figure. He recounts his time as the first A&R head for the Beatles' Apple Records, where he signed a then-unknown James Taylor, eventually moving to Los Angeles to guide Taylor’s career to superstardom. Asher also highlights his work with icons like Linda Ronstadt and his role in the era’s burgeoning underground art scene. Throughout the episode, Asher provides candid insights into the realities of fame, the evolution of music production, and the deep personal connections that defined his life, offering a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on the history of modern popular music.

Writer Rachel Aviv explores the complexity of the mother-daughter bond

Jul 6, 202645 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air, host Tanya Moseley sits down with New Yorker staff writer Rachel Aviv to discuss her latest book, You Won’t Get Free of It: Stories of Mothers and Daughters. The conversation explores the profound complexities of the maternal bond, drawing from a collection of essays Aviv originally wrote for The New Yorker. A central theme of the discussion is how Aviv’s perspective shifted after she became a mother herself. She notes that returning to her earlier work revealed how much she had previously overlooked the mother’s internal experience—her specific longings, needs, and failures—as she had initially identified primarily with the daughter. The hosts analyze specific narratives from the book, including the haunting account of a woman suffering from dissociative fugue and the controversy surrounding Nobel laureate Alice Munro. They delve into how Munro’s daughter, Andrea Skinner, grappled with the revelation of childhood sexual abuse, and how Munro utilized the trauma in her fiction, raising difficult questions about art, morality, and the cost of legacy. Ultimately, the episode serves as an intimate meditation on the often-mystical, sometimes painful, and deeply inseparable nature of the mother-daughter relationship.

How Rose Byrne creates those hilarious scenes with Seth Rogen (Fresh Air+)

Jul 5, 202619 minSummary

In this bonus episode of Fresh Air Plus, actor Rose Byrne joins host Anne Marie Baldonado to revisit and expand upon several notable roles from her career. The discussion centers on the technical and emotional demands of her performance in the film If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You, where she explores the claustrophobic anxiety of a woman in crisis. Byrne details the challenges of filming with the camera in extreme proximity, noting that it required a subtle, contained physical performance to effectively convey the character's internal state. The conversation also traverses Byrne’s earlier work on the legal drama Damages, where she reflects on the intimidation and immense learning opportunity of acting alongside Glenn Close. Additionally, Byrne discusses her comedic partnership with Seth Rogen in the series Platonic, highlighting how their long-standing professional history allows for a unique, shorthand-driven creative chemistry. Throughout the episode, Byrne offers candid insights into the complexities of balancing an demanding acting career with family life and discusses how she finds relatability in characters navigating the loss of identity that often accompanies parenthood.

Best Of: Tennis stars Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova / American Culture Wars

Jul 4, 202649 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air Weekend, host Terry Gross sits down with legendary tennis icons Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. The two champions discuss their enduring friendship and historic rivalry, reflecting on the intense competition of their professional years and the emotional bond they formed after retirement. A central theme of the conversation is their shared experience navigating cancer diagnoses while living near each other in Florida. They discuss the physical toll of their treatments, the mutual support they provided during their recovery, and the lessons they learned from the illness of Evert’s sister, which prompted Evert to undergo preventative medical procedures. Additionally, critic John Powers shares his thoughts on the British comedy series Alice and Steve, exploring the complex, often messy dynamics of platonic versus romantic relationships. The episode also features author Isaac Butler, who discusses his new book, The Perfect Moment. Butler traces the origins of America’s culture wars, examining the rise of religious advocacy groups in the 1970s and their impact on the arts, school curricula, and the broader political landscape, providing historical context for today’s ongoing cultural debates.

Steven Spielberg

Jul 3, 202646 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air, the legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg engages in an intimate and revealing conversation regarding his life and career, centered on his 2022 film The Fablemans. Spielberg discusses his early childhood, characterizing himself as a fearful youth who found a way to process his anxieties by recreating terrifying imagery through the lens of a camera. He recounts his formative experiences, such as the lasting impact of seeing his first film, The Greatest Show on Earth, and how filming train wrecks with his toy set provided him a sense of control over his fears. The discussion also explores the deep influence of his father’s stories about World War II, which shaped his approach to war films. Spielberg emphasizes his desire to capture the "low-down, dirty truth" of combat rather than glorifying it, an ambition he realized through the graphic intensity of Saving Private Ryan. Furthermore, he reflects on his upbringing, his parents' divorce, and his complex relationship with his father. Spielberg provides profound insights into how cinema has served as both a medium for storytelling and a personal tool for navigating life’s most difficult truths.

Writer Kennedy Ryan uses romance novels as a vehicle for discourse

Jul 2, 202645 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air Plus, acclaimed romance author Kennedy Ryan discusses her journey as a writer and her deliberate approach to using the romance genre as a vessel for complex social discourse. Known for being the first Black writer to win the prestigious RITA Award, Ryan explains how she utilizes the classic romance structure—what she calls a Trojan horse—to smuggle important conversations about mental health, disability, and racial inequality into a highly accessible medium. Reflecting on her career path, which began after years in journalism and advocacy, Ryan emphasizes that her stories prioritize characters who have historically been sidelined in mainstream fiction, such as queer women, Indigenous individuals, and those navigating chronic illness. She also addresses the persistent, often patriarchal condescension toward the romance genre, arguing that the focus on women’s pleasure and the guaranteed happy ending provides a necessary space for joy and hope. Throughout the conversation, Ryan highlights the importance of deep, journalistic-style research in her creative process, sharing how she bridges the gap between reality and fiction to craft stories that resonate deeply with readers seeking representation and empowerment.

The “bullies of the tick world” are on the hunt

Jul 1, 202645 minSummary

In this episode, the host interviews New Yorker staff writer Burkhard Bilger about his investigation into the Lone Star tick and the life-altering illness it transmits: Alpha-gal syndrome. Unlike other ticks that passively wait for a host, the Lone Star tick actively hunts, contributing to its rapid expansion across the United States. The discussion highlights the severity of Alpha-gal syndrome, a mysterious and often misdiagnosed condition that leaves victims with a potentially lethal allergy to red meat and animal-derived products, including certain medications and even dairy. Bilger details the agonizing, delayed physical reactions patients face, often after years of medical uncertainty. He explains that while the syndrome can be managed through strict avoidance and emergency preparedness, there is currently no cure. The conversation further explores how climate change, reforestation, and the rising deer population have created ideal habitats for these resilient pests. Bilger challenges common misconceptions regarding the disease’s prevalence, emphasizing that its reach spans diverse communities and geographic regions. The episode serves as a vital alert for listeners, offering insights into how to identify the risks associated with tick bites and navigate the complexities of this growing public health concern.

Banned books, shocking art & the birth of the culture wars

Jun 30, 202645 minSummary

In this episode, host Terry Gross sits down with cultural historian and author Isaac Butler to discuss his latest book, The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America’s Culture Wars. The conversation traces the origins of contemporary American political polarization back to the 1970s and 1980s, highlighting how religious advocacy groups successfully mobilized around issues of perceived moral decay. Butler explains how figures like Donald Wildmon and the American Family Association pioneered a template for political action: identifying specific artworks or school curricula that could be framed as blasphemous or pornographic, and then using that grievance to pressure and capture local and national decision-making bodies. The discussion touches upon significant historical flashpoints, including the Kanawha County textbook protests, the national outcry against Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ, and the controversial, explicit photography of Robert Mapplethorpe. Through the lens of these events, Butler and Gross examine how these tactics were used to systematically weaken the National Endowment for the Arts and continue to influence modern debates over book banning, educational mandates, and the role of government funding in protecting or silencing transgressive artistic expression.

Tennis rivals Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova team up against cancer

Jun 29, 202645 minSummary

In this episode of Fresh Air, tennis icons Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova reflect on their storied careers, their complex history as friends and rivals, and their shared battle against cancer. The legendary players discuss how their dynamic evolved from an intense 1970s and 80s rivalry—marked by Evert’s composure and Navratilova’s later physical transformation—into a deeply supportive friendship. The conversation highlights the unique and difficult experience of being world-class athletes during the prime of their youth, often struggling with the pressures of early fame without modern emotional support systems. The guests discuss how they navigated the intense scrutiny of their professional lives, including the period when their friendship suffered due to competitive pressures. A central theme is their recent parallel struggle with cancer. Both women share the physical and emotional tolls of their treatments, detailing how they relied on one another for guidance and comfort while navigating symptoms and the anxiety of health uncertainty. By candidly discussing their past experiences and their present challenges, Evert and Navratilova provide a poignant look at endurance, the necessity of proactive health awareness, and the enduring strength of a bond built over fifty years.

Best Of: Laverne Cox /Comic Ali Siddiq

Jun 27, 202647 minSummary

This episode of Fresh Air Plus features two distinct, deeply personal conversations. The first segment highlights actress and activist Laverne Cox, who discusses her new memoir, Transcendent. Cox reflects on her experiences growing up in Mobile, Alabama, where she faced systemic bullying and harassment as a gender-nonconforming child. She provides moving insights into how she used her vivid imagination, dance, and music as a means of survival and escapism during her youth. The conversation explores the challenges of navigating childhood in an environment that felt repressive, her path to finding her identity, and her ongoing commitment to truth-telling as a visible advocate for the transgender community. In the second half of the episode, comedian Ali Siddiq discusses his unique approach to storytelling. Siddiq, who served six years in prison during his youth, has gained widespread acclaim for turning his life experiences into candid, serialized comedy specials. He reflects on his complicated relationship with his father, the consequences of his past choices, and the profound guilt he continues to carry regarding the impact his previous actions had on his community. The discussion offers a raw look at his journey from incarceration to finding catharsis and purpose through comedy.