Terry Gross

Jim Amoss is editor of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. The newspaper's staff has been publishing online from Baton Rouge since evacuating its New Orleans offices last week. The paper has criticized the federal government's response to the hurricane and published an open letter to President Bush calling for the firing of all Federal Emergency Management Agency officials -- especially director Michael Brown.

Dick Polman, a political analyst for the Philadelphia Inquirer, evaluates the response of FEMA and other federal and local groups to Hurricane Katrina.

Robert Shaler, former director forensic biology at the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, led efforts to identify remains at the World Trade Center attacks. He discusses the challenges that lie ahead for those responsible for identifying the bodies of Hurricane Katrina's victims.

University of Chicago law professor Cass Sunstein discusses the death of Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist and President Bush's nomination of John G. Roberts to replace him.

The new comedy The Man stars actor and comic Eugene Levy. He's appeared in numerous movies, including memorable roles in Splash, Bringing Down the House, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and the American Pie movies.

From 1992 to 2000, Kristina Ford was New Orleans' director of city planning for seven years; she also headed the New Orleans Business Corp., an agency created to develop city-owned property through public-private.

Allen Toussaint, evacuated from New Orleans after the floods hit, is a songwriter best known for the hit "Working in the Coal Mine." He wrote songs for The Meters, Dr. John, Patti LaBelle and many others, and was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. (This interview was first broadcast on Jan. 6, 1988.)

Now a film and TV presence, New Orleans native Harry Connick Jr. first made his mark as a musical prodigy, recording his first songs at age 9. He's since done soundtracks and songs for a number of films, including Godfather III and When Harry Met Sally, and has released 17 albums, most recently Only You. Acting credits include Hope Floats, Basic, Little Man Tate and the TV sitcom Will and Grace. Connick has returned to New Orleans to lend a helping hand with hurricane relief. (This interview was first broadcast on June 21, 1988.)

Folklorist Nick Spitzer hosts American Routes, a public radio music program based in New Orleans. He left the city before Hurricane Katrina and is now in Lafayette, La. He talks about the cultural and musical history of New Orleans.

Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack's music evolved from psychedelic voodoo-rock in the 1960s to classic piano. He's still known for the 1973 single "Right Place, Wrong Time." (This interview was first broadcast in 1986 and 1988.)