Fresh Air with Terry Gross
Eccentricity? All In A Day's Work For Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson plays beet-farming, archery-loving middle-management kook Dwight Shrute on NBC's The Office.
For Jenna Fischer, 'Office' Life Is A Great Act
Jenna Fischer may be best known for her role as Pam, the receptionist on the NBC comedy series The Office. In this interview, Fischer tells Terry Gross about creating all those pained looks and knowing smiles — and about how her five years as an office temp helped to prepare her for the role.
Stephen Colbert On 'The Greatest Gift Of All'
Stephen Colbert, the host of Comedy Central's Colbert Report, got his start as a correspondent on The Daily Show. He discusses the his recent holiday special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
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Tina Fey's Gubernatorial Turn
Comedian Tina Fey created a sensation this fall with her impersonation of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. A former head writer for SNL, Fey stars in the NBC comedy 30 Rock.
Seth Meyers On 'SNL' And Campaign Comedy
Comedian and writer Seth Meyers discusses Saturday Night Live's treatment of the recent presidential election. Meyers has been with SNL since 2001, and currently serves as co-anchor of the show's "Weekend Update" segment.
The Parrot Who Said 'I Love You'
During their 30 years together, psychology professor Irene Pepperberg and Alex, her African gray parrot, said "I love you" to each other nearly every day. Pepperberg writes about the extraordinary abilities of her pet in the memoir Alex & Me.
An Animal Surgeon's 'Tale Of Humor, Healing'
Veterinarian Nick Trout has performed CAT scans on rats and at least one ultrasound on a frog. He details the highs and lows of animal healing in his new memoir, Tell Me Where It Hurts.
Charlie Haden Returns To Roots With Rambling Boy
The jazz musician's new album is a departure from his usual style. But bassist Hadin grew up performing on his family's country music radio show. In Rambling Boy, Haden's family performs with him, including his son-in-law and actor Jack Black. Also making appearances are country music singers Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Roseanne Cash, as well as Elvis Costello, Bruce Hornsby, and Pat Metheny.
Colbert And His Comedy Central Holiday Special
Comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert talks about A Colbert Christmas: the Greatest Gift of All. It's a take-off on all the old Christmas TV specials of yore hosted by the likes of Bing Crosby and Andy Williams. On the show, Colbert welcomes special guests Feist, Toby Keith, John Legend, Willie Nelson and Jon Stewart.
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Geoff Nunberg Nominates 2008's Word of The Year
Early in January, the American Dialect Society will meet in San Francisco to vote for 2008's Word of the Year. Several dictionaries have already made their own selections. After looking over the field, Fresh Air's resident linguist has a candidate, too.
David Bianculli's Top 10 TV Shows Of 2008
The year in television started with a bust — or to be more precise, a writer's strike — but Fresh Air's TV critic says there were plenty of TiVo-worthy programs in 2008. Prominent among them: AMC's Mad Men.
Dancing With Memory, Massacre In 'Bashir'
Filmmaker Ari Folman was a 19-year-old Israeli soldier serving in Beirut at the time of the 1982 massacre of Palestinian refuges. Though he has no memory of the time, he revisits the mission in his new film, Waltz With Bashir, a surreal, animated documentary of the terror.
David Edelstein's Top 10 Movies of 2008
The top movies of 2008 — and the larger cultural trends reflected in those films. Fresh Air movie critic David Edelstein talks with Terry Gross about his Ten Best List for 2008.
Elliott Carter at 100: A Trio of Tributes
American composer Elliott Carter celebrates his 100th birthday this month, and three new CDs have been released in honor of the occasion. Fresh Air's classical music critic has a review.
Lawrence Lessig's 'Remix' For The Hybrid Economy
In his new book Remix, law professor Lawrence Lessig explores the changing landscape of intellectual property in the digital age — and argues that antiquated copyright laws should be updated.
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Paul Weyrich, Empowering The Right
Activist Paul Weyrich, who died Dec. 18, helped turn social conservatives into a powerful force in the Republican party.
Bob Woodward On 'The Secret Man' Of Watergate
Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward talks about FBI Deputy Director W. Mark Felt, the secret source that helped him break the Watergate story.
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Trial By Fire — Literally — In 'The Full Burn'
You'd have to be dedicated to your work to set yourself aflame for "research purposes" — but author Kevin Conley did just that. His new book catalogs his four years spent following Hollywood stuntmen.
In 'The Wrestler,' Rourke's Gory, Tragic Comeback
The Wrestler is predictable, corny and heavy-handed, says critic David Edelstein, but with Mickey Rourke acting his heart out, the sheer adrenaline-pumping violence of the film gets into your bloodstream.
Maureen Corrigan's Best Books Of 2008
You know you have a terrific book in your hands when you encounter language or elegantly presented research that startles you into fresh awareness; you know it when the atmosphere of a novel doesn't leave you for days, or years.
