In 2019, Justice Clarence Thomas raised the prospect of overturning one of the most consequential free speech decisions ever made. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan is a 1964 landmark case that strengthened First Amendment protections by enabling journalists and writers, from top national outlets to local newspapers and bloggers, to pursue the truth without being afraid of being sued. In his book Murder the Truth, author David Enrich explores how Justice Thomas' words coincide with a surge in legal...
Mar 11, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bill Burr knows exactly where his sense of humor comes from. He learned at an early age that if he could make people laugh, then they'd be less likely to hurt him. "I am a mess of a human being, still, this far into life. ... But it makes for good comedy," he says. The comic talks with Terry Gross about processing his abusive childhood, a therapeutic mushroom trip, and why he's angry at liberals. His new Hulu stand-up special is called Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years . Hear an extended version of thi...
Mar 10, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're joined by a New Orleans institution — clarinetist and vocalist Doreen Ketchens. She's got several nicknames — "Lady Louie," "Queen Clarinet," and "Miss Satchmo," all of after her biggest idol, Louis Armstrong. Like the jazz great, Ketchens has the gift of hitting long, high notes. She and her band, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans, have performed on the corner of Royal and St. Peter's Street in the French Quarter for almost four decades We'll also talk with Natasha Rothwell. She returns to HBO's ...
Mar 08, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The 1970s band The New York Dolls made only two studio albums, but the group was hugely influential, setting the stage for punk rock. We listen back to Terry Gross' 2004 interview with the band's co-founder David Johansen, who died last week. The group was described as flashy, trashy and drag queens — but Johansen didn't care. He later went on to perform under the persona of the pompadoured lounge singer Buster Poindexter. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Mickey 17 , a futuristic action-co...
Mar 07, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2012, three deep-sea divers were on a routine dive in the North Sea when one of the divers became trapped underwater. The harrowing story of that rescue is the plot of the movie Last Breath . Actor Simu Liu had to scuba dive in dark depths for his role, which was largely shot underwater. He spoke with producer and interview contributor Ann Marie Baldonado about playing a Ken in Barbie , his early childhood in China, and the perils of being a stock photo model. Sign up for our free weekly news...
Mar 06, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Georgetown professor Ella Washington and Harvard professor Frank Dobbin discuss the beneficiaries and misperceptions of diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI, and who will be hurt as it's dismantled across public and private sectors. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Mar 05, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Known as "Lady Louie," Doreen Ketchens has been a fixture of the French Quarter for nearly four decades. We talk about her classical training and her career as a street performer, and she'll play some music. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hanif Kureishi began his new memoir just days after a fall left him paralyzed. He describes being completely dependent on others — and the sense of purpose he's gained from writing. The memoir is called Shattered . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Mar 03, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins describes the rivalry among the children of 93 year-old media titan Rupert Murdoch over who will control his business empire when he dies. It's a real life Succession drama. Also, we'll talk with Harvard Professor Elizabeth Linos about the extraordinary measures Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has taken to drastically shrink the size of the federal government, and the ripple effect. Also, John Powers reviews the Oscar-nominated animated ...
Mar 01, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Academy Awards are this Sunday. We hear from the two stars of the film The Apprentice , Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. It's about how a young Donald Trump was influenced by the infamous, unscrupulous lawyer Roy Cohn. Also, we hear from Adrien Brody, who is nominated for his starring role in the film The Brutalist , in which he plays a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who seeks a fresh start in post-WWII America. John Powers reviews the animated film Flow , which has been ...
Feb 28, 2025•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the new season of The White Lotus, Natasha Rothwell reprises her role of spa manager Belinda , a woman "on the precipice of change" as she straddles the line between guest and staffer. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about filming in Thailand, the cancellation of her show How to Die Alone , and getting cast as the hilarious Kelli on Insecure . Also, we remember Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman who died this week at age 95. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR...
Feb 27, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast DOGE has eliminated thousands of federal jobs and canceled more than 1,000 contracts. Harvard professor Elizabeth Linos warns, "We're seeing harms that are not going to be easily undone." Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 26, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rupert Murdoch and his oldest kids are battling over who controls his media empire when the 93-year-old media titan dies. The Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins explains what's at stake, how it could change Fox News — and what the siblings think about the HBO show Succession. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 25, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast In Jesus Wept , investigative journalist Philip Shenon examines the last seven popes, and how efforts to reform the Church with the Second Vatican Council led to power struggles and doctrinal debates that lasted for decades. He spoke with Dave Davies about the theological clashes, scandal, and the accuracy of the movie Conclave . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 24, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast We talk with author Ricky Riccardi about how Louis Armstrong became the first Black pop star and provided the foundation of improvisation for other musicians. Riccardi's book is S tomp Off, Let's Go. Also, we hear from Atlantic writer Derek Thompson. He's done a deep dive into our nation's loneliness epidemic and how our phones have become a barrier to real human connection. Critic-at-large John Powers reviews the Brazilian film I'm Still Here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastch...
Feb 22, 2025•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the series Ripley, Andrew Scott plays a con artist with no conscience. The actor says it was important to humanize his character. "For me, I think your first job is to sort of advocate for the character and try not to judge them." Scott's up for a SAG Award for his portrayal of Tom Ripley. David Bianculli reviews Netflix's new six-part drama series Zero Day , starring Robert De Niro. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 21, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rich Benjamin's grandfather, Daniel Fignolé, was a popular Haitian labor leader who became Haiti's president in 1957. After just 19 days in office, he was overthrown by a military coup, and was sent to the U.S. His 13 year-old daughter (Benjamin's mother) was taken by soldiers and sexually assaulted. She was eventually reunited with her parents in America, where they were refugees. Rich Benjamin talks with Terry Gross about his family's history and resilience. His memoir is Talk to Me . Learn mo...
Feb 20, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast During President Trump's first term, journalist Anne Applebaum reported on how he was moving toward authoritarianism. Now she's describing Trump's actions as regime change. "Our imagination of a coup or regime change is that there are tanks and violence and somebody shoots up the chandelier in the presidential palace," she says. "Actually, nowadays, that's not how democracies fail. They fail through attacks on institutions coming from within." Applebaum also talks about the dismantling of Americ...
Feb 19, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Measles thrives on being underestimated," Dr. Adam Ratner says. The highly infectious disease was thought to be a "solved problem," until a 2018 outbreak in New York City. "When we start to see measles, it's evidence of the faltering of our public health systems and of fomenting of distrust of vaccines." Ratner talks about the implications of RFK's Health and Human Services Dept. appointment, National Institute of Health budget cuts, and spreading distrust and skepticism in science. His new boo...
Feb 18, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Constitutional scholar, historian, and New York Times staff writer Charlie Savage joins us this President's Day to talk about the scope of executive power. Savage takes us through the legal challenges, the power of Congress and the Supreme Court, and how previous presidents have pushed the bounds. TV critic David Bianculli reviews Star Trek: Section 31 and Planet Earth: Asia . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 17, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Musician and documentary filmmaker Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is back to talk about his new Hulu documentary about Sly Stone. It's called SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Also, actor Sebastian Stan talks about portraying Donald Trump in the film The Apprentice. Stan is originally from Romania, born during a communist dictatorship. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 15, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast For Saturday Night Live 's 50th anniversary, we're featuring interviews with some of the early cast members/writers. Dan Aykroyd talks about the moment he and John Belushi came up with the Blues Brothers. Writer Alan Zweibel talks about working with Gilda Radner on two of her most iconic characters. And Al Franken tells us about a sketch he wrote that didn't make it past the censors. Jon Lovitz tells Terry how his character Master Thespian came to be. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews The A...
Feb 14, 2025•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast RaMell Ross's Oscar-nominated film, Nickel Boys , centers on two young Black men attempting to survive a brutal Florida reformatory school in the 1960s. He says he's sees the rural South as a "meaning-making space." Ross spoke with Tonya Mosley about his photography and performance art, too. Also, John Powers reviews the new season of HBO's The White Lotus . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 13, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast New York Times journalist Eric Lipton explains how Musk's companies are benefiting as he cuts federal jobs and agencies, and reporter Teddy Schleifer explains how Musk's political views turned right, and why he thinks the billionaire's relationship with Trump might actually last. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 12, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sebastian Stan is up for an Oscar for his portrayal of President Trump early in his career, when Roy Cohn was his lawyer and mentor. Stan says Cohn schooled Trump in "denying reality and reshaping the truth." He spoke with Terry Gross about his childhood in Romania, wearing prosthetics for A Different Man , and his breakthrough role on Law & Order . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 11, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Questlove is back to talk about his new documentary about Sly Stone and his band the Family Stone. They created a new sound with their mix of pop, soul, funk, psychedelic music and irresistible beats. The film is called SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) and it streams on Hulu beginning Feb. 13. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 10, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast We talk about the cultural phenomenon of Wicked with star Ariana Grande. She's nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Grande talks about some of the underlying messages in the film about belonging and good versus evil, and how growing up as a theatre nerd prepared her for this role. Also, writer and professional dominatrix Brittany Newell joins us to talk about her new novel Soft Core , which explores the underworld of San Francisco's dive bars, strip clubs, and BDSM dungeons. Maure...
Feb 08, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discovered at a Rolling Stones party at the age of 17, Marianne Faithfull broke out in the early '60s with the Jagger/Richards song " As Tears Go By ." Faithfull's liaison with Mick Jagger kept her in the public eye. In the '70s, she struggled with addiction, but she made a triumphant comeback in her 30s, and became a critically acclaimed rock cabaret singer. Also, critic-at-large John Powers reviews the Brazilian film I'm Still Here , which he describes as a "moving, inspiring, beautifully made...
Feb 07, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast After publishing her first novel when she was 21, Brittany Newell started working as a dominatrix. The job gave her time to write — and plenty of material to draw from. "I always like to say that what makes a good writer is also what makes a good dominatrix, which is empathy and curiosity and bravery," she says. Newell's new novel is Soft Core . Also, David Bianculli reviews the comedy TV series Clean Slate starring Laverne Cox. And Maureen Corrigan reviews two quintessential New York books. Lea...
Feb 06, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last night, President Trump proposed a plan to displace all the Palestinians from Gaza, and get Jordan and Egypt to take them in, while the U.S. takes ownership of Gaza and rebuilds it into a Middle East Riviera. We'll talk with New Yorker staff writer Dexter Filkins about the impact of this proposal. We'll also talk with him about the recruitment crisis in the U.S. military, which has led military leaders to ask: can our country defend itself if not enough people are willing or able to fight? I...
Feb 05, 2025•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
