Showing results by narrator "Terry Gross" in All Categories

Actress Ellen Burstyn and Tejano musician Ruben Ramos on this edition of Fresh Air. Ellen Burstyn's up for an academy award for her portrayal of the mother of a drug addict who is also an addict herself in the film Requiem for a Dream. This is her fifth nomination and could be her second win.

Journalists Ken Herman and Joseph Hallinan on this edition of Fresh Air. Ken Herman writes for the Austin American Statesman. He's has been covering Texas politics for over 20 years and is currently in Washington, covering the first six months of President George W. Bush's administration. He'll talk about the differences between George W. Bush (the governor) and George W. Bush (the president).

Mark Malloch Brown of the UN Development Programme and poet Donald Hall on this edition of Fresh Air. Brown heads the United Nations Development Programme. He'll discuss their efforts in Afghanistan, the West Bank, and Gaza to help with reconstruction. Brown is from Britain. He is also the chair of the United Nations Development Group, a committee of the heads of all UN development funds, programmes and departments.

Actor Om Puri on this edition of Fresh Air. Om Puri is a star of Bombay's film industry, known as Bollywood. In his two decades of acting he's worked with every major Indian film director including Satjayit Ray. In western films, he had roles in Ghandi and City of Joy, and in the TV series The Jewel in the Crown. He's had starring parts in two British films My Son the Fanatic, and the film East Is East.

Former WWII P.O.W. Eric Lomax and Cajun musicians Luderin Darbone and Ben Sandmel on this archive edition of Fresh Air. Eric Lomax was captured by the Japanese during World War II. He was used as forced labor to help build the Burma-Siam railroad. He was also tortured by the Japanese. He has reconciled with the Japanese interpreter present during his beatings.

Looking at HBO's hit series The Sopranos as it enters its third season on this edition of Fresh Air. First, an interview with creator and executive producer David Chase. Actor Michael Imperioli, who stars as Christopher, has written some episodes. Imperioli also appeared in five Spike Lee films, and starred in, co-wrote, and executive produced Lee's film Summer of Sam. Imperioli also appeared in the films Goodfellas, Malcolm X, Clockers, and Household Saints.

Playwright and screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan on this edition of Fresh Air. The writer behind five screenplays and several theater productions, his new play is called Lobby Hero and opens March 13 at Playwrights Horizons. He also wrote, directed, and acted in the Oscar nominated You Can Count on Me, which came out last year. The screenplay for that movie recently won Best Screenplay by the Writers Guild of America and is up for an Oscar in the same category.

On this archival edition of Fresh Air, playwright and satirist from South Africa Pieter Dirk-Uys, and writer and director Todd Haynes. Dirk-Uys has a television talk show in South Africa that has an unusual twist. Instead of hosting his show as himself, he dresses drag as an Afrikaner dowager named Evita. His guests include such leaders as Nelson Mandela. His show is said to be "a way of making the country's leaders seem more human."

Senior vice president and editorial director of VH1, Bill Flanagan on this archive edition of Fresh Air. He's the author of A&R, a satirical novel about the music industry. Prior to this, Flanagan wrote extensively about the business for Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Spy. He's also the author of Written in My Soul, a collection of conversations with songwriters.

Religion scholar Karen Armstrong on this edition of Fresh Air. The best-selling author of The History of God and The Battle for God, has a new book, Budda, about the life of Sidhatta Gotam. From North India, Sidhatta Gotama renounced normal life, leaving his wife and child to live alone and attain enlightenment.

Journalist Bill Keller and actresses Lupe Ontiveros and Bonnie Hunt on this edition of Fresh Air. Bill Keller is a columnist for The New York Times and senior writer for the magazine section. He just returned from a trip to Russia. He'll discuss Russia's position on Iraq. Actress Lupe Ontiveros stars in the new film Real Women Have Curves as a mother at odds with her two teenage daughters. She recently starred in the independent film Chuck and Buck.

Jazz bassist Ron Carter and filmmaker Burr Steers on this edition of Fresh Air. Ron Carter has more than two thousand recordings to his credit. From 1963-1968 he was part of the Miles Davis Quintet with Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter. Over the years, he's played with Randy Weston, Herbie Mann, Betty Carter, Eric Dolphy, Sony Rollins, McCoy Tyner and others.

Investigative journalist Robert Bryce and remembering labor activist Anthony Mazzochi on this edition of Fresh Air. Robert Bryce'sHis new book is Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego and the Death of Enron. It's a gossipy, irreverent analysis of the Enron scandal.

Journalist Jonathan Landay and former White House Director of Counterterrorism Daniel Benjamin on this edition of Fresh Air. Jonathan Landay co-wrote an article called "Officials' Private Doubts on Iraq War. The piece appeared yesterday in newspapers owned by the Knight-Ridder-Tribune News Service, including the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Hear journalist Scott Shane and author Tara McKelvey, on this edition of Fresh Air. Scott Shane has been writing about terrorism and the CIA's interrogation techniques for The New York Times. His most recent article is about how the U.S. has adopted techniques once used by the Soviets: "Soviet-Style Torture Becomes Interrogation" (June 3, 2007). Then, Tara McKelvey, the author of Monstering: Inside America's Policy of Secret Interrogations and Torture in the Terror War.

Hear journalist Laura Rozen, food and wine columnist Russ Parsons, and jazz critic Kevin Whitehead on this edition of Fresh Air. Laura Rozen reports on national security and foreign policy from Washington, D.C., as a senior correspondent for The American Prospect and a contributor to the Washington Monthly, the Boston Globe, The Economist, the Forward, USA Today, Wired, and other publications.

Hear journalist Jeff Goodell and film critic Jon Powers, on this edition of Fresh Air. Jeff Goodell's book Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future is now out in paperback. Goodell says we are more dependent on coal than ever.

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.

Hear British musician Jarvis Cocker, book critic Maureen Corrigan, and jazz critic Kevin Whitehead, on this edition of Fresh Air. Jarvis Cocker has just released The Jarvis Cocker Album, his first solo effort. Cocker founded his band Pulp at age 15. Cocker made headlines in 1996 when he stormed the stage in protest at a Michael Jackson concert in London at the BRIT awards.

Hear actor, comedian, producer, and writer Denis Leary, and recording artist Michael Hearst, on this edition of Fresh Air. Leary's show Rescue Me on FX begins its fourth season next week. He plays the highly dysfunctional yet macho firefighter Tommy Gavin. Leary also starred in the short-lived but critically acclaimed ABC comedy series, The Job. And he's known for his work in films such as The Thomas Crown Affair and The Ref.