Terry Gross

Cerf writes children's songs for Sesame Street and helped launch the humor magazine the National Lampoon. In 1978 he co-edited the journalistic parody "Not the New York Times." His most recent humor book is "The Book of Sequels," a spoof of current trends in the publishing and film industries.

Burton's new film is called Edward Scissorhands, starring Johnny Depp as the title character who navigates suburban life. Burton also directed one of the most popular films of all time "Batman," along with "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice."

Sherry Ettleson is a staff attorney for Public Citizen's Congress Watch, and a member of the financial democracy campaign. She did research for the new book, "Who Robbed America?," and joins Fresh Air to discuss current legislation regarding who should bail out the banks.

Writer John Updike recently completed his Rabbit series. He says that, while elements of his life show up in the protagonist Harry Angstrom, the books were never meant to be autobiographical.

Rhodes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist who wrote The Making of the Atomic Bomb. His new book is called A Hole in the World, about the abuse he and his brother endured at the hands of his stepmother. Rhodes eventually became a ward of the state, and grew up in a boys' home.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Sydney Pollack's new movie, a love story that's supposed to be steamy, but, according to Schiff, lacks both passion and political sophistication.

David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson, coeditors of the "Wine and Food Companion," join Fresh Air to talk about the history, science, and varieties of sparking wine. Later, Atlantic Magazine food writer Cory Kummer recommends some of cheaper options available.

Journalist Lawrence Weschler is a staff writer for the New Yorker and has been covering Eastern Europe for the past decade. He joins Fresh Air to talk about labor leader Lech Walesa's successful democratic election, and the fallout of Poland's changing government and economy.

Kenneth Jackson and Camilo Jose Vergara are the authors of Silent Cities, about the evolution of cemeteries in the United States. They say these sites reflect American attitudes toward class, race, and public space.