Showing results by narrator "Terry Gross" in All Categories

Hear comic Don Rickles, documentary producer Huw Cordey, and rock critic Ken Tucker on this edition of Fresh Air. He's known for insulting his audiences on stage, but Don Rickles doesn't consider himself an insult comic. His heyday was in the 1950s and 60s, on TV and in Vegas. Frank Sinatra was an early fan and helped get him noticed. Rickles has a new memoir, Rickles' Book: a Memoir.

Writer David Rakoff on this archive edition of Fresh Air. He's a regular contributor to Outside, The New York Times Magazine, and public radio's This American Life. One of his peers, writer Paul Rudnick says of him, "Rakoff is a comic saint, an ideal mix of the crabby and the debonair." Rakoff has a new collection of essays, Fraud. He's also appearing in Amy & David Sedaris' new off-broadway show.

Actor, director, screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton on this archive edition of Fresh Air. The 1996 film Sling Blade which he wrote, directed and starred in put him on the map and earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1998 film A Simple Plan. Last year he directed the film All the Pretty Horses.

Professor of Islamic law Khaled Abou El Fadl and English professor Leo Litwak on this edition of Fresh Air. Khaled Abou El Fadl is the professor of Islamic law at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles. He's also the author of a number of books including, Conference of the Books: The Search for Beauty in Islam a collection of essays about the problems and challenges that confront Muslims in the contemporary world.

Hear writers Michael Chabon and Jon Savage on this edition of Fresh Air. Michael Chabon won a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for his novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. His new novel is The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel. His other books include The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and a collection of stories entitled Werewolves in Their Youth. He has also written for many publications, including The New Yorker, Harpers,, and Esquire.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the film West Side Story, Fresh Air speaks with cast members.

Singer Emmylou Harris and horror writer Peter Straub on this archive edition of Fresh Air.

Writer Stephen King on this edition of Fresh Air. King has just received the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters at this year's National Book Award ceremony. Author of several best sellers, he is credited with ushering in a whole new era of horror with his first novel, Carrie, published in 1974.

Hear singer and songwriter Sheryl Crow, and book critic Maureen Corrigan, on this edition of Fresh Air. Sheryl Crow performs in the studio solo, and with her band. Her new album, Detours, is her sixth studio album. It's also the most politically and personally outspoken record of her career. The first single from the album is "Shine over Babylon", which she describes as a "battle song in the face of fear" over our complicated and troubled times.

Audible presents a special collection of recent Fresh Air interviews with actors Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Nicolas Cage, and Cherry Jones, as well as Navajo code talker Rev. Roy Hawthorne, screenwriter John Ridley, directors Paul and Chris Weitz, and cartoonist Stan Lee.

Paintings have been falling off of walls, a loud and loyal dog has gone missing, a gurgled message is being transmitted by walkie-talkie - strange things are happening all over the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea. Called upon to investigate these suspicious incidents, young Lemony Snicket collects clues, questions witnesses, and cracks every case. .

Filmmaker Errol Morris on this edition of Fresh Air. His new documentary, The Fog of War, is a profile of the man many considered to be the architect of the Vietnam conflict, Robert McNamara. Taken from a series of interviews Morris conducted with McNamara, it yields new insights into the mind of the former Secretary of Defense.

Illustrator Marjane Satrapi and guitar legend Jimmy Page on this edition of Fresh Air. Marjane Satrapi is the author of the memoir, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. The book is in the form of an illustrated comic. Satrapi was born in 1969 in Iran, and grew up in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution.

Linguist John McWhorter and photographer Joel Meyerowitz on this editin of Fresh Air.

Hear the late writer and editor William Maxwell, classical-music critic Lloyd Schwartz, and film critic David Edelstein on this edition of Fresh Air. In honor of the centennial of William Maxwell's birth, and his contribution to American writing, the Library of America is publishing a two-volume collection of his novels and short stories. The first, which collects his early work, is out now.

Actress Cherry Jones and hip hop forefather Grand Master Flash on this edition of Fresh Air. Cherry Jones is currently appearing in Lysistrata at the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia. Jones is a founding member of the American Repertory Theatre and has appeared in 23 A.R.T. productions. She's won Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League awards. Jones has starred or appeared in many Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.

Listen to singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka and book critic Maureen Corrigan on this edition of Fresh Air. This year marks Neil Sedaka's 50th in the music business. He was part of the original creators of the "Brill Building sound" of the late 50s and early 60s. His early songs "Stupid Cupid" and "Where the Boys Are" were hits by Connie Francis.

The fourth season of HBO's critically acclaimed series, The Sopranos, starts this Sunday, September 15, 2002. On this edition of Fresh Air, TV critic David Bianculli talks about the new season and host Terry Gross talks two of the show's actors, Steven Van Zandt and Edie Falco. Steve Van Zandt is the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. He's also recorded solo and has produced a number of records for other bands.

Hear filmmaker Jeffrey Blitz and law professor Elyn Saks on this edition of Fresh Air. Jeffrey Blitz wrote and directed the new film Rocket Science. It's a partly autobiographical coming-of-age tale about a teenage boy who joins the high-school debate team. Blitz won the Dramatic Directing Award at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Hear journalist Tim Weiner, director/writer Brad Bird, comedian/actor Patton Oswalt, and classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz on this edition of Fresh Air. Tim Weiner's new book is Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA. The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent did extensive archival research and conducted interviews with CIA insiders, including former chiefs Richard Helms and Stansfield Turner.