Fresh Air

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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. Subscribe to Fresh Air Plus! You'll enjoy bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening - all while you support NPR's mission. Learn more at plus.npr.org/freshair 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

Episodes(40 episodes)

Newest first

Best Of: Will Arnett / ‘Song Sung Blue’ Director Craig Brewer

Will Arnett stars in the new film ‘Is This Thing On?’ about a man going through a divorce, who finds himself onstage doing stand-up. He spoke with Terry Gross about trying out stand-up under a fake name, and his voiceover work. Also, director Craig Brewer talks about his film, ‘Song Sung Blue.’ It’s based on the true story of a Milwaukee couple who became local legends performing as a Neil Diamond tribute band.Plus, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the roadtrip novel ‘The Rest of Our Lives,’ by Benjamin Markovits. Learn more about sponsor message choices...

Published: Jan 10, 2026Duration: 49:11

Neil Diamond / Noah Wyle On ‘The Pitt’

The new film ‘Song Sung Blue’ is about a Neil Diamond tribute band and stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Before Diamond began recording his own hits like “Solitary Man,” “Cherry, Cherry,” “America,” and “Sweet Caroline,” he wrote songs for other musicians, including The Monkees. Diamond spoke with Terry Gross in 2005. Also, the hit HBO medical drama ‘The Pitt’ is back for season two. Noah Wyle plays the veteran attending physician in a Pittsburgh emergency room. The actor/producer spoke with Dave Davies about his tenure on ‘ER’ and putting scrubs back on for ‘The Pitt.’ Learn more about sponsor message c...

Published: Jan 9, 2026Duration: 46:25

Tessa Thompson

Thompson is nominated for a Golden Globe for her starring role in ‘Hedda.’ She spoke with co-host Tonya Mosley about her collaboration with director Nia DaCosta, navigating her biracial identity, and why she almost quit acting before ‘Dear White People.’ She stars as a news anchor investigating a suspicious death in the new Netflix limited series ‘His & Hers.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 8, 2026Duration: 44:55

The Growing Power & Influence Of White Supremacy In America

Journalist Eric Lichtblau says President Trump's incendiary rhetoric has stoked a "new age of hate." His book, ‘American Reich,’ centers on a murder committed by a young neo-Nazi in Orange County, Calif. He spoke with Dave Davies. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘Marty Supreme.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 7, 2026Duration: 44:07

Marjorie Taylor Greene's Puzzling Political Turn, Explained

Once a fierce advocate for Trump and his MAGA base, Marjorie Taylor Greene has broken with the president and resigned from Congress. ‘New Yorker’ staff writer Charles Bethea discusses Greene's past — and what may lie ahead. He spoke with Fresh Air contributor Dave Davies. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 6, 2026Duration: 44:10

Investigating The Great Los Angeles Fires

MS NOW journalist (and Palisades native) Jacob Soboroff says covering the 2025 wildfires was the most important assignment he's ever undertaken. His new book, ‘Firestorm,’ offers a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about the systems that failed during the disaster and the effort to rebuild. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the roadtrip novel ‘The Rest of Our Lives,’ by Ben Markovits. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 5, 2026Duration: 44:38

Ben Stiller / Pedro Pascal

Ben Stiller talks about his new Apple TV+ documentary about his actor/comedian parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, they were famous as the comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. Ben talks about growing up in a showbiz family, where there was no separation between work and personal lives.Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal has faced countless on-screen challenges, including cosmic battles and cartel kingpins. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about getting fired from restaurant jobs, his dance training, and his parents' exile from Chile.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com...

Published: Jan 3, 2026Duration: 48:15

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

The WWE superstar considered pursuing a career in mixed martial arts before realizing, "I don't like getting punched in the face." Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's ‘The Smashing Machine.’ He spoke with Terry Gross about his many injuries, his relationship with his late father, and his wrestling personas.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 2, 2026Duration: 45:47

Jeff Hiller’s Big Break Came In His 40s

Hiller spent years scraping by in Hollywood by taking on various small roles and commercials. Then he landed the role of Joel on HBO's ‘Somebody Somewhere’ and everything changed. His memoir is ‘Actress of a Certain Age.’Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Jan 1, 2026Duration: 44:49

Richard Kind Is Glad He’s Not Super Famous

Kind is the announcer and host sidekick on the Netflix show ‘Everybody's Live with John Mulaney.’ "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You must understand — it's anarchy," he says of the show. He spoke with Terry Gross about having ego but no confidence, working with Sondheim, and working in his father's jewelry store as a teen.Jazz historian Kevin Whitehead has as remembrance of musicians we lost this year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 31, 2025Duration: 45:30

Malala Finds Her Way

After surviving the Taliban's 2012 attempted assassination, activist Malala Yousafzai didn't back down. She continued to advocate for girls' education across the globe. In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize, an honor that weighed on her when she went off to college. In ‘Finding My Way,’ she writes about her life at Oxford and beyond. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about reliving childhood, PTSD, and her decision to get married.Also, critic at large John Powers highlights some things he wish he had reviewed this year. Learn more about sponsor message choic...

Published: Dec 30, 2025Duration: 46:10

Comic Cristela Alonzo

For the first seven years of her life, Cristela Alonzo lived in an abandoned diner in a South Texas border town. She spoke with Terry Gross about ICE raids, being mentored by labor activist Dolores Huerta, and the culture shock of having money after growing up so poor. Her recent Netflix stand-up special is called ‘Upper Classy.’Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 29, 2025Duration: 45:58

Bluegrass Star Billy Strings / Laufey

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, ‘Live at the Legion,’ and he brought his guitar to our studio. He spoke with Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting.Also, Icelandic jazz-pop star Laufey spoke with Terry Gross about her classical training in cello, breaking out online during COVID, and her first arena tour. Her recent album is ‘A Matter of Time.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 27, 2025Duration: 48:25

Jane Fonda

Early this year, Fonda made headlines for delivering a fiery critique of the Trump administration during a SAG-AFTRA award acceptance speech. "This is not the time to go inward," Fonda says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her career onscreen and off, as an activist. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 26, 2025Duration: 45:34

The Making Of ‘Born To Run’

Bruce Springsteen's groundbreaking album, ‘Born to Run,’ came out 50 years ago this year, marking a turning point for rock and roll — and for "The Boss." Before he made that record, Springsteen's label, Columbia, was on the verge of dropping him because his first two albums, though critically acclaimed, had sold poorly. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin describes the creation of ‘Born to Run’ as an "existential moment" for Springsteen. His book is ‘Tonight in Jungleland.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 25, 2025Duration: 47:07

‘Morrie’ Writer Mitch Albom On Second Chances

Albom's 2025 novel, ‘Twice,’ asks a question most of us have daydreamed about: what if you could go back and relive any moment of your life? In the book, a man is born with that exact power, but every second chance comes with a cost. Albom talks with Tonya Mosley about his new book, and the lasting influence of Morrie Schwartz, his old college professor who died in 1995 of ALS. Nearly 30 years ago, Albom chronicled their weekly visits in his bestselling book ‘Tuesdays With Morrie.’Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 24, 2025Duration: 43:37

Will Arnett

Arnett stars in Bradley Cooper’s new film, ‘Is This Thing On?’ as a man who turns to the New York comedy scene as he grapples with his divorce. The ‘SmartLess’ podcast co-host talked with Terry Gross about voicework, how ‘Arrested Development’ changed his life, and being a troublemaker in school. Also, critic David Bianculli shares his picks for best TV of 2025.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 23, 2025Duration: 47:25

Dir. Craig Brewer Is Chasing ‘Purple Rain’ Magic

Director Craig Brewer has made a career of telling stories about dreamers and misfits chasing something bigger than themselves, from ‘Hustle & Flow’ to ‘Dolemite Is My Name.’ Now he's back with ‘Song Sung Blue,’ a film based on the true story of a Milwaukee couple who became local legends performing as a Neil Diamond tribute band. He spoke with Tonya Mosley. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Published: Dec 22, 2025Duration: 48:11

The Stories Behind Your Favorite Christmas Songs

To celebrate the holidays, we’re looking back at four archive Fresh Air interviews discussing popular Christmas songs: First, jazz singer Mel Torme tells Terry Gross about co-writing “The Christmas Song” on a hot summer day, in an interview from 1977. Then we hear from songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1989 about making “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and then Martin drops in again in 2006 to discuss the song’s long impact. Finally, musician Jon Batiste sits at the piano with Terry in 2024 to play some other favorite holiday tunes live.Listen to an episode of NPR's All Songs Con...

Published: Dec 21, 2025Duration: 43:51

Best Of: Lucy Liu / Zadie Smith

Lucy Liu joins Tonya Mosley to talk about her new film ‘Rosemead,’ where she stars as a terminally ill woman grappling with her teenage son’s escalating mental health crisis and the impossible choices she faces to protect him. It’s based on a true story. Also, writer Zadie Smith talks with Terry Gross about her new collection of essays, ‘Dead and Alive.’ She reflects on aging and generational discourse. Film critic Justin Chang shares his list of the best films of the year.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Priva

Published: Dec 20, 2025Duration: 48:42