Showing results by narrator "Terry Gross" in All Categories

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

Humorist Fran Lebowitz and writer Anne Lamott on this archive edition of Fresh Air. The Washington Post called Fran Lebowitz "The funniest woman in America." Humorist Lebowitz has come out with her first children's book, Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue Meet The Pandas. In 1978, she wrote the critically acclaimed book Metropolitan Life a collection of witty essays on life. Writer Anne Lamott's new book is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

Hear drummer Levon Helm (formerly with The Band), Canadian author Jane Rule, and TV critic David Bianculli, on this edition of Fresh Air. When The Band supported Bob Dylan on stage in 1965, Time magazine described the combination as "in some ways, the most decisive moment in rock history." They went on to record their own highly influential albums Music From Big Pink and The Band in 1968 and 1969.

Musician Bootsy Collins and author Linday Gray Sexton, on this archive edition of Fresh Air. Bootsy Collins got his start with James Brown, where he "defined the finger-popping funk bass style" (Rolling Stone). He went on to work with George Clinton as part of the Parliment-Funkadelic tribe, before forming Bootsy's Rubber Band. On stage, he created alter egos, including Bootzilla, Boot-Tron, and King of the Geepies.

Soviet born journalist Masha Gessen and poet Li-Young Lee on this archive edition of Fresh Air. Masha Gessen edited a collection of post-Soviet fiction by women, Half a Revolution: Contemporary Fiction by Russian Women. Gessen says that most of the writers in the collection belong to the "mute generation" that came of age under Brezhnev.

Writer David Sedaris and actor Alan Cumming, on this edition of Fresh Air. Sedaris is best known for his contributing work with public radio's This American Life. He's written three books of essays, Barrel Fever, Naked, and his newest Me Talk Pretty One Day which was just released in paperback. Scottish actor Alan Cumming co-wrote, co-directed, and is co-starring in the new film The Anniversary Party, along with Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Hear singer Frankie Valli and comedian and actor Patton Oswalt on this edition of Fresh Air. There's a new four-CD box set of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons called Jersey Boys. Valli helped bridge 50s doo-wop and 60s rock-and-roll with two dozen top 40 hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Sherry", and "Walk Like a Man". Jersey Boys is also the name of a Tony award winning Broadway musical based on the lives of the Four Seasons.

Syndicated cartoonist Aaron McGruder, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and remembering Dr. Shirley Glass on this edition of Fresh Air. Aaron McGruder's strip The Boondocks follows the escapades of Huey and Riley two brothers from the inner city sent to live with their grandfather in a Chicago surburb, where most of their neighbors are white.

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

Actor Jeff Bridges and singer and songwriter Joe Pernice on this edition of Fresh Air. Jeff Bridges has starred in The Last Picture Show, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Tucker, The Big Lebowski, Seabiscuit and other films. On each of his movie sets he's photographed the action behind the scenes.

Comedian and political satirist Al Franken and actor Benicio Del Toro on this edition of Fresh Air. In December, Franken was part of a USO tour performing for troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait. The tour lasted eight days, and he returned Christmas Day. He'll talk about the tour and do some of his routine from it. Franken's books include Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right and Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Norman Mailer and the stars of the Emmy Award-winning T.V. series Cagney and Lacey, Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly on this edition of Fresh Air. Mailer talks about his 1995 book Oswald's Tale: An American Mystery. The book profiles Lee Harvey Oswald's life. Mailer says we must ask "Who was Oswald?" as a prelude to asking "Who killed JFK?". This is Mailer's 28th book. Gless and Daly played New York City Police detectives in their series which aired on CBS from 1982 to 1988.

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.

Historian and civil rights activist Roger Wilkins and writer Vernor Vinge on this edition of Fresh Air. Wilkins has written a new book Jefferson's Pillow. He considers our founding fathers and their conflicting attitudes toward race and how it affects his own sense of patriotism. Wilkins is a professor of history at George Mason University, a Pulitzer-prize winner, and former Assistant Attorney General under President Johnson.

Husband and wife songwriting team, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and pop singer Bobby Vee on this special edition of Fresh Air's "'60s Music Week." Barry Mann and Cynthai Weil are the duo responsible for such songs as "You've Lost that Loving Feeling," "On Broadway," "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," "Here You Come Again," "Don't Know Much," and more. The two met when they were both working in the famous songwriting landmark, the Brill Building - Mann as a composer and Weil as a lyricist.

Hear Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, political journalist William Kristol, policy analyst Carl Conetta, Baghdad-born activist Yanar Mohammed, and writer Lawrence Wright on this edition of Fresh Air.

Musicians Ray Davis, Marianne Faithfull, Pete Townsend, and Colin Blunstone on this special edition of Fresh Air, "The British Invasion." Ray Davies started The Kinks in 1964 with his brother. They are said to be the pioneers of the rowdy garage band genre of rock music. Their many hits included: "You Really Got Me," "Lola," "All Day and All of the Night," and "Tired of Waiting for you."

Actors Morgan Freeman and Tim Roth on this archive edition of Fresh Air. Morgan Freeman is one of the stage and screen's most acclaimed actors for his ability to immerse himself in different roles. He originated the role of the chauffeur in the Broadway production of Driving Miss Daisy. Later he revived the role in the movie version, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Actress Jodie Foster on this edition of Fresh Air. Jodie Foster produced and acts in the new film The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. Foster has won two Oscars for performances in The Silence of the Lambs and The Accused. She was also nominated for her work in Taxi Driver and Nell. She's also served as producer or director on numerous films. (Broadcast Date: June 17, 2002)

Hear guitarist and vocalist Jack White and drummer Meg White of the band the White Stripes, film critic David Edelstein, and actor Brian Cox on this edition of Fresh Air. The White Stripes' new album is called Icky Thump. It's their sixth release. The duo has tried to keep their relationship a mystery, claiming to be, variously, brother and sister or husband and wife.