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Terry Gross at her microphone in 2018

Terry Gross

Terry Gross is the host and an executive producer of Fresh Air, the daily program of interviews and reviews. It is produced at WHYY in Philadelphia, where Gross began hosting the show in 1975, when it was broadcast only locally. She was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2016. Fresh Air with Terry Gross received a Peabody Award in 1994 for its “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight.” America Women in Radio and Television presented her with a Gracie Award in 1999 in the category of National Network Radio Personality. In 2003, she received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Edward R. Murrow Award for her “outstanding contributions to public radio” and for advancing the “growth, quality and positive image of radio.” Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and received a bachelor’s degree in English and M.Ed. in communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, NY.

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13:42

Chef Jeremiah Tower

Chef Jeremiah Tower. He is considered one of the forces behind modern California cuisine –- which emphasized the use of locally grown ingredients to elevate simple dishes to fine delicacies. That in turn launched a revolution in American regional cookery. Tower began his career as chef and co-owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. He went on to run restaurants in San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore and Seattle. Recently he hosted the PBS series America's Best Chefs and has written a new memoir, California Dish: What I Saw (and Cooked) at the American Culinary Revolution.

Interview
33:02

Scottish Writer, Director and Actor Peter Mullan

His new feature film, The Magdalene Sisters, is based on the real-life laundries run by the Sisters of the Magdalene Order in Ireland near the end of the 19th century. Girls considered wayward or unruly were sent there as punishment for their sins and forced to do labor under sweat-shop conditions. The last of the laundries was shut down in 1996. Mullan's film follows the lives of four young women and takes place from 1964 to 1969. Before writing and directing, Mullan was best known for his acting and starred in The Big Man, Riff-Raff, Shallow Grave and Trainspotting.

Interview
17:39

Writer and Director Niki Caro

Her new film is Whale Rider, a re-telling of Maori legend in which a young girl challenges 1,000 years of tradition to fulfill her destiny — and win her grandfather's respect. The Maoris are the native people of New Zealand. Whale Rider won the Audience awards at the Sundance, Toronto and Rotterdam Film Festivals. Caro's previous film was Memory and Desire.

Interview
42:42

Hall of Fame Jockey Gary Stevens

He has won three Kentucky Derbys, two Preakness Stakes and three Belmont Stakes. Now 40 years old, he has been riding professionally since he was 16. Stevens is the author of the autobiography, The Perfect Ride and has a part in the new film Seabiscuit as jockey George Woolf.

Interview
07:28

Writer Leslie Epstein

His father and uncle were the scriptwriting team responsible for Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca, and many other Hollywood classics. Epstein grew up in a glamorous and troubled household. His new book, San Remo Drive, is described as a novel from memory, and is based on his own childhood. Epstein directs the creative writing program at Boston University, and is the author of eight other novels, including King of the Jews and Pandaemonium.

Interview
20:40

Actor and Comedian Denis Leary

This Sunday he will be roasted by Comedy Central. He's also starring in the new film The Secret Lives of Dentists. Leary is also known for his work in films such as The Thomas Crown Affair and The Ref. Leary has completed more than 20 feature films, several cable specials, a book, a CD, and he has his own production company, Apostle. This interview first aired April 18, 2002.

Interview
12:52

Author Aljean Harmetz

Her book, Round Up the Usual Suspects, tells the inside story of the making of the film Casablanca. There is a new 2-disc special edition DVD of the film which includes commentary by film critic Roger Ebert. Harmetz is also the author of The Making of the Wizard of Oz. She was the Hollywood film correspondent for The New York Times for 12 years. This interview first aired December 16, 1992.

Interview
38:31

Actress Hope Davis

Most recently Hope Davis played the daughter of Jack Nicholson in the movie About Schmidt. Her other roles include Mumford, Next Stop Wonderland, Flatliners and Daytrippers. Davis is starring in the new film American Splendor, which took the 2003 Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize. She is also starring in The Secret Lives of Dentists.

Interview
29:22

'Wall Street Journal' Reporters Rebecca Smith and John R. Emshwiller

Smith is a national energy reporter and Emshwiller is a senior national correspondent who covers white-collar crime. They uncovered the story that Enron engaged in shadowy partnerships in order to hide financial failings and inflate the company's value. They have written an account of how they unraveled the story in the new book, 24 Days: How Two Wall Street Journal Reporters Uncovered the Lies that Destroyed Faith in Corporate America.

21:46

Comic Bill Maher

Comic Bill Maher host of the HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher. Like his previous show, Politically Incorrect, Real Time features a roundtable of guests who make jokes and talk politics. This week's guests are actress Janeane Garofalo and California Gov. Gray Davis. Maher is also the author of When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden.

Interview

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