Terry Gross

Producer Naomi Person talks with writer Edward Jones. He's just published a new collection of short stories, "Lost in the City," about the "lives and souls" of black people living in Washington, D.C. This is his first book.

Both writers have been with the show since it went on the air. They're part of the "Harvard Mafia," comedy writers from Harvard who have influenced the comedy business from "Saturday Night Live" to "The Muppet Show."

Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new film, about a crime investigation in a Hassidic community, is a low point for its director -- but not so for star Melanie Griffith.

Lovitz played the pathological liar on Saturday Night Live, among many other characters, such as Annoying Man and Harry Chanukah. He recently appeared in the new film "A League of Their Own."

Lerner was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Barton Fink." He's been featured in the films, "Eight Men out," "Harlem Nights," and "The Postman Always Rings Twice." He's now acting in the new HBO movie, "The Comrades of Summer."

Terry will talk to three people about the recent events revolving around RU-486, the abortion-inducing drug. The drug is in use in France and Britian but is illegal in the U.S. Two weeks ago, a pregnant woman, Leona Benten, tried to bring the drug into the country, but it was seized by authorities. The case is about to go before the Supreme Court. Today's guests include FDA spokesperson Gary Fendler, Simon Heller of the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, and Leona Benten's physician, Dr. Louise Tyrer.

Journalist Nicholas Lemann is a national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine. He's talks about how politicians need to stop pandering to the middle class at the expense of the working class and minorities.

Anthropologist, archaeologist and the director of the University of Arizona's 20 year-old Garbage Project, William Rathje. The project applies the principles of archaeology to modern garbage to see what could be learned about our civilization. They've processed over 250,000 pounds of trash. Rathje has co-authored a book about the findings of the project, "Rubbish! The Archaeology of Garbage."

Sociologist Teery Williams spent four years in a New York City crackhouse, and talks about the complex culture that's evolved around the drug. Williams teaches at the New School For Social Research in New York, and he's previously published books about a teenage cocaine ring and inner-city poverty.

We talk with the new crime movie's director Carl Franklin's and screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton. "One False Move"is a low-budget movie about a drug deal gone bad, a brutal murder, and the dealers' flight from the police. Despite playing in only a few cities, it's getting critical acclaim.