Fresh Air

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.

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Episodes

Noah Wyle Is At Home In 'The Pitt'

After 11 seasons on ER , Noah Wyle thought he was finished with medical dramas: "I spent 15 years avoiding — actively avoiding — walking down what I thought was either hallowed ground or traveled road." But then COVID happened, and he felt compelled to tell more of these stories. He spoke with Dave Davies about the making of The Pitt , the medical jargon, and his mom's feedback on the show. Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Poems by Dorothy Parker and The Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla...

Apr 21, 2025•45 min

Best Of: Richard Kind / Melinda French Gates

You've seen Richard Kind on countless TV shows and films during his 40-year career — Only Murders in the Building, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Spin City, and A Serious Man, just to name a few. He's now the announcer and sidekick on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney . He spoke with Terry Gross about the new gig and why he's glad he's not that famous. Melinda French Gates also joins us to talk about her new book, The Next Day , which reflects on motherhood, grief, philanthropy, and life after divorce. ...

Apr 19, 2025•48 min

A Love Story At The Center Of The Civil Rights Movement

MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid tells the story of Medgar Evers and his wife Myrlie. Medgar was the NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, a state that lynched more Black people than any other. The risks of the job created a lot of tension in their marriage — and after Medgar's 1963 assassination, Myrlie's fury drove her to be an activist herself. And film critic Justin Chang reviews Sinners , the new supernatural thriller by director Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan. Learn more about sponsor mes...

Apr 18, 2025•45 min

Starvation In American Jail Cells

New Yorker staff writer Sarah Stillman says she's discovered dozens of cases where people in county jails across the U.S. have died of starvation, dehydration, or related medical crises. Many were people with mental health issues arrested for minor crimes who languished behind bars without treatment, unable to make bail. Also, we remember renowned jazz critic and Terry Gross' husband, Francis Davis. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Apr 17, 2025•44 min

The Real-Life Russian Spies Who Inspired 'The Americans'

In The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West , journalist Shaun Walker shares how agents were trained to blend into a target country and posed as citizens. Walker tells the story of Andrei Olegovich Bezrukov, aka "Donald," and Elena Vavilova, aka "Tracey," who were embedded in Cambridge, Mass. until a 2010 FBI raid. Even their two children didn't know their parents' true identities. Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to versa...

Apr 16, 2025•45 min

Melinda French Gates On Giving Away Her 'Absurd' Wealth

In a new memoir, billionaire Melinda French Gates writes about the end of her marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and her ongoing philanthropic work, directing funds and attention to women's health initiatives. Her book is The Next Day . Also, David Bianculli reviews the new season of Black Mirror . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Apr 15, 2025•46 min

Richard Kind Is Glad He's Not That 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. Ken Tucker reviews Kendrick Lamar and SZA's single "Luther." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Apr 14, 2025•46 min

Best Of: Jason Isbell / David Tennant

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell sings about his split from musician Amanda Shires on his latest album, Foxes in the Snow . "What I was attempting to do is document a very specific time where I was going through a lot of changes," he tells Terry Gross. David Bianculli reviews the FX/Hulu series Dying for Sex . When Scottish actor David Tennant was three, he told his parents he wanted to grow up to play Doctor Who on TV. His dream became a reality — he was Doctor Who for five years a...

Apr 12, 2025•49 min

'Hacks' Returns! With Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs

The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedy series returns for a fourth season this week. It's about two women — a successful comic/TV personality in her 70s, and her 20-something comedy writer — and the generational clashes that ensue. We're revisiting interviews with stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, and Paul W. Downs who co-created the series and plays their manager. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Warfare , a movie about U.S. Navy SEALs. Learn more about sponsor message choices: po...

Apr 11, 2025•47 min

The Dark Secrets Of Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson recently lost a bid to settle lawsuits that claimed its talc powder products, including baby powder, caused cancer. Author Gardiner Harris says the company's defense "is beginning to crumble." His book is No More Tears . Also, John Powers reviews the new Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors , starring Jon Hamm. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Apr 10, 2025•45 min

Trump's Tariffs & The Radical Remaking Of The Global Economy

President Trump's sweeping tariff policy has upended the global economy. Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist, likens it to The Art of the Deal — on steroids. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Apr 09, 2025•45 min