Best Fresh Air From WHYY Podcasts (2025)

1
To Shed Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill Turned To Voiceover Work 46:09

2h ago46:09

46:09

Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker, one of the most iconic heroes in movie history. His latest film, The Life of Chuck, is an adaptation of a Stephen King novella. He spoke to Fresh Air about auditioning for Star Wars, voiceover work, and the advice Carrie Fisher gave him. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Pr…

1
With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever 45:00

1d ago45:00

45:00

The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Desi Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom. Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.c…

1
Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola 48:19

3d ago48:19

48:19

Comic Sarah Silverman talks about her new Netflix special, PostMortem, about the death of her father and stepmother, 9 days apart. She talks with Terry Gross about how the special came to be. Also, we hear from Cole Escola, creator and star of the hit Broadway comedy Oh Mary! It's an intentionally ridiculous reimagining of first lady Mary Todd Linc…

1
A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade 45:13

4d ago45:13

45:13

Filmmaker and stunt coordinator David Leitch says it's easier to do stunts himself than direct his stunt performer friends. "You are responsible for their safety," he explains. "Your heart goes through your chest." His film The Fall Guy is about the unknown performers who put their lives on the line. He spoke with Terry Gross about barrel rolling c…

1
Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief 44:37

5d ago44:37

44:37

Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point for Silverman's "cathartic" Netflix comedy special, PostMortem. She spoke with Terry Gross about their final days, finding the joy in grief, and she reflects on the boys' club of the comedy scene when s…

1
The Talented Mr. Vance 45:10

6d ago45:10

45:10

The Atlantic writer George Packer calls JD Vance the most interesting figure in the Trump administration: "He's capable of complex thought, and I also think he may be the future of the MAGA movement." Also, David Bianculli reviews the HBO movie Mountainhead, written by Succession writer/creator Jesse Armstrong. Learn more about sponsor message choi…

1
Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration 46:35

7d ago46:35

46:35

James Patterson's books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. He says he often gets ideas for them late at night. His latest, The #1 Dad Book, offers advice for fathers. He spoke with Terry Gross at a WHYY live event for the "Lifelong Learning Award." Also, Martin Johnson reviews a new album from accordionist Will Holshouser, and we listen b…

1
Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius 45:47

9d ago45:47

45:47

For the holiday weekend, we're revisiting our recent interview with Questlove. His documentary, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), examines Sly Stone's enormous impact on music — and the price he paid for it. "Sly will invent the alphabet for which most of pop and R&B or Black music will write from for the next 60 years," Questlove says. …

1
Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age 48:24

11d ago48:24

48:24

Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill about the ongoing debate in higher-ed about A.I.. TV critic David Bianculli reviews One to One, a new documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Also, writer Amanda Hess talks about mothe…

1
Remembering Broadway Composer Charles Strouse 46:46

12d ago46:46

46:46

We remember Broadway composer Charles Strouse, who died May 15 at age 96. He wrote the music for the hit musicals Bye Bye Birdie and Annie, which included such songs as "Put On a Happy Face," "A Lot of Livin' to Do," and "Tomorrow." Jay-Z sampled "Hard Knock Life," from Annie, on a Grammy-award-winning rap recording. Strouse understood why: "I want…

1
Walton Goggins Was Raised By A Village 45:07

13d ago45:07

45:07

Walton Goggins talks with Tonya Mosley about growing up poor in the Deep South, the travel that changed him, and collaborating with his wife. He says his unconventional childhood shaped his approach to acting, from Justified to The White Lotus and The Righteous Gemstones. David Bianculli reviews a new two-part HBO documentary about Paul Reubens, wh…

1
Professors Are Using A.I., Too. Now What? 44:14

13d ago44:14

44:14

Colleges and universities have been trying to fight against students using tools like ChatGPT to do class assignments and communicate. But here's a twist: Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with NYT tech reporter Kashmir Hill about these conflicts on campus. Also, she s…

1
Inside The "Cover-Up" Of President Biden's Decline 44:11

15d ago44:11

44:11

CNN host Jake Tapper's book, Original Sin, co-authored by Alex Thompson, describes a president who struggled to function: "One person told us that the presidency was, at best, a five-person board with Joe Biden as chairman." Tapper spoke with Terry Gross about moderating the disastrous Biden/Trump debate, George Clooney's op-ed calling for the pres…

1
Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!' 45:35

16d ago45:35

45:35

Escola gives former first lady Mary Todd Lincoln a wild second act in the Tony-nominated play Oh, Mary! "This play is about a woman with a dream that no one around her understands," Escola says. The actor spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about growing up in rural Oregon, the inspiration for the play, and making sense of its surprise success. Maureen …

1
Best Of: Ramy Youssef / Danny McBride 48:31

18d ago48:31

48:31

Ramy Youssef's new animated comedy series, #1 Happy Family USA, is about an Egyptian American Muslim family living in New Jersey, after 9/11, trying to blend in and doing everything they can to avoid being seen as a threat. Youssef spoke with Terry Gross about the series and his own experience during that time. Also, Danny McBride talks with Tonya …

1
Zombies Frontman Colin Blunstone 46:22

18d ago46:22

46:22

There's a new documentary about the '60s British band The Zombies. It's called 'Hung Up on a Dream' and it's streaming on Amazon Prime. We're listening back to Terry's 1998 interview with lead singer of The Zombies, Colin Blunstone. The band had a reputation for being clean cut and well mannered. "People want rascals and rogues and naughty boys. So…

1
Navigating The 'Wellness' Epidemic 45:35

20d ago45:35

45:35

Journalist Amy Larocca says our society's obsession with optimization and self-care has reached a fever pitch. She unpacks what it really means to take care of ourselves in How to Be Well. Also, Justin Chang reviews the Chinese film Caught by the Tides. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

1
His Cancer Meds Were Nearly $1K A Pill. How Did That Happen? 46:22

21d ago46:22

46:22

ProPublica reporter David Armstrong began investigating the pharmaceutical industry when he learned a single pill of his cancer treatment costs about the same as a new iPhone — but costs 25 cents to make. His investigation into the discovery and marketing of the drug Revlimid revealed strategies employed by pharmaceutical companies to ward off comp…

1
Ramy Youssef Animates A Muslim Family's Post-9/11 Life 45:10

22d ago45:10

45:10

Actor Ramy Youssef was in 5th grade and living in New Jersey when the Twin Towers fell. His new Amazon Prime animated show, #1 Happy Family USA, draws on the experiences of his own Egyptian American family navigating Islamophobia after Sept. 11. Conan O'Brien was the recipient of this year's Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. David…

1
'Righteous Gemstones' Creator Danny McBride's Love Letter To The South 44:34

23d ago44:34

44:34

The Georgia native has seen how Hollywood traffics in stereotypes about the American South. He talks with Tonya Mosley about making creative work that challenges them. His HBO show The Righteous Gemstones, which satirizes televangelists, just wrapped its fourth and final season. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Best Of: Michelle Williams / Sarah Snook 48:28

25d ago48:28

48:28

Michelle Williams talks about starring in Dying For Sex — a dark but funny TV series based on a true story about a woman with stage four cancer who, facing death, decides to take ownership of her sexual pleasure. Also, we hear from Sarah Snook. She's best known for her role on HBO's Succession as Shiv Roy. She tells us why she almost didn't auditio…

1
R. Crumb, King Of Underground Comics 46:38

25d ago46:38

46:38

R. Crumb created Zap Comix and such characters as Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat. His comics were a staple of the 1960s counterculture, and came out of his nightmares, fantasies and fetishes. There was a time when he wanted to censor that part of himself — but then he took LSD. He told Terry Gross about that experience in a 2005 interview. We'll als…

1
Having A Child In The Digital Age 45:56

27d ago45:56

45:56

When NYT critic-at-large Amanda Hess learned her unborn child had an abnormality, she turned to the internet — but didn't find reassurance. "My relationship with technology became so much more intense," she says. She talks with Tonya Mosley about pregnancy apps, online forums, and baby gadgets. Her new book is Second Life: Having A Child In The Dig…

1
President Trump's Conflicts Of Interest 46:04

28d ago46:04

46:04

New York Times reporter Eric Lipton says the Trump family businesses, including their crypto company, are capitalizing on the President's position, and creating unprecedented conflicts of interest. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Michelle Williams Insists On Finding Pleasure & Humor Alongside Pain 44:43

29d ago44:43

44:43

Michelle Williams' FX/Hulu series Dying For Sex follows a woman with terminal cancer who decides to pursue her own sexual pleasure. She says the show is about sex, friendship and "being scared and brave at the same time." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Fresh Air From WHYY Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Fresh Air

NPR

1
Fresh Air From WHYY

Fresh Air From WHYY

1
To Shed Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill Turned To Voiceover Work 46:09

1
With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever 45:00

1
Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola 48:19

1
A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade 45:13

1
Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief 44:37

1
The Talented Mr. Vance 45:10

1
Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration 46:35

1
Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius 45:47

1
Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age 48:24

1
Remembering Broadway Composer Charles Strouse 46:46

1
Walton Goggins Was Raised By A Village 45:07

1
Professors Are Using A.I., Too. Now What? 44:14

1
Inside The "Cover-Up" Of President Biden's Decline 44:11

1
Cole Escola's 'Stupid' Dream Came True With 'Oh, Mary!' 45:35

1
Best Of: Ramy Youssef / Danny McBride 48:31

1
Zombies Frontman Colin Blunstone 46:22

1
Navigating The 'Wellness' Epidemic 45:35

1
His Cancer Meds Were Nearly $1K A Pill. How Did That Happen? 46:22

1
Ramy Youssef Animates A Muslim Family's Post-9/11 Life 45:10

1
'Righteous Gemstones' Creator Danny McBride's Love Letter To The South 44:34

1
Best Of: Michelle Williams / Sarah Snook 48:28

1
R. Crumb, King Of Underground Comics 46:38

1
Having A Child In The Digital Age 45:56

1
President Trump's Conflicts Of Interest 46:04

1
Michelle Williams Insists On Finding Pleasure & Humor Alongside Pain 44:43

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