Terry Gross

After an 11-year stint as the owner of the bar that gave the classic TV series Cheers its name, Ted Danson moved on to other TV-land pastures. In the 16 years since that hit sitcom went off the air, his work has taken him to different places, but perhaps none of his characters has been as interesting and complicated as the ones he's been playing lately. In the legal drama Damages, Danson portrayed an egomaniac billionaire battling the tough-as-nails litigator played by series star Glenn Close. Danson tells Terry Gross that it was time for a change.

Johnny Mercer is the man behind the lyrics of some of the most popular American songs of the century. Mercer wrote or co-wrote over 1,000 songs, ranging from classics like "Skylark" and "That Old Black Magic" to the impish fanfare of "Hooray For Hollywood." Pianist and composer David Frishberg and singer Rebecca Kilgore are generally jazz musicians by trade, but they have a soft spot for Mercer.

The veteran punk rocker John Doe embraced his inner mountain man on Country Club, an album of classic country covers he recorded with The Sadies. The Canadian rockers and the former X frontman joined Terry Gross in the Fresh Air studio for an interview and an intimate performance.

This interview was originally broadcast on May 19, 2009.

Emmy Award-winning musician Geoff Muldaur has collaborated with artists from Jerry Garcia to Bonnie Raitt. His latest album with his band the Texas Sheiks draws on his jazz and blues background. He shares more from his past -- as well as a few tunes -- in the Fresh Air studio.

The British are crazy for actor and comedian Russell Brand, but he's not content to stop with his compatriots. With a comic triumph as a bad-boy rocker in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and a startlingly frank memoir called My Booky Wook, Brand is shooting for Stateside stardom.

This interview was first broadcast on April 6, 2009.

Actress Jane Lynch has spent 2009 animating Glee's ruthless cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. But Lynch began building her career well-before she started stealing scenes on Fox. In this memorable interview from earlier in the year, Lynch opens up about her life on- and off-screen.

This interview was originally broadcast November 4, 2009.

During his lifetime, South African poet Dennis Brutus made incredible contributions to the fight against apartheid. Brutus died on December 26, 2009, after successfully battling segregation in athletics with global recognition. Fresh Air remembers the life and achievements of Brutus in this interview from 1986

This interview was originally broadcast on April 22, 1986.

Woody Allen may have played his share of mousy intellectuals in his films, but he says that growing up, he was always "picked first for the team." On the occasion of his 40th movie, Whatever Works, Allen joins Terry Gross to talk about his inspiration and life behind the lens.

This interview was first broadcast on June 15, 2009.

The star of NBC's 30 Rock talks to Terry Gross about his tough childhood, how he made the grade in the comedy college that was Saturday Night Live, and why even though he may cry a little on the radio, "the funny bus is still sitting downstairs." (Rebroadcast from Oct. 22, 2009)

Take one part spaghetti Western and one part war film, and mix them together in a project helmed by acclaimed, eccentric filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. What do you get? Inglourious Basterds, one of the most unique films of the year. Tarantino talks about style and narrative — in both his personal life and his films — in this interview from Aug. 27, 2009.