Terry Gross

Last week the Taliban, the Islamic Militants ruling Afghanistan issued a decree to demolish all pre-Islamic religious images. Reportedly they have partially demolished the 175 feet and 120 feet seventh-century Buddhas 100 miles west of Kabul, considered two of the most important ancient works. A talk with the Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies At the University of Omaha, Thomas E. Gouttierre .

The writer behind five screenplays and several theater productions, his new play is called –Lobby Hero— and opens March 13 at Playwrights Horizons. He also wrote, directed and acted in the Oscar nominated –You can Count on Me,— which came out last year. The screenplay for that movie recently won Best Screenplay by the Writers Guild of America and is up for an Oscar in the same category. It is also an Oscar contender in the category of Best Actress in a Leading Role (played by Laura Linney). Other movies he has worked on include –The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Analyze This.

He's written six historical spy novels, all taking place in Europe just before World War II. They include Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The World at Night and his new one, Kingdom of Shadows.

Carter is the creator of the popular FOX TV series, The X-Files. The series, about a team of FBI agents investigating paranormal activity like alien abductions, telepathy, and the occult, has a cult following. This is its eighth and possibly final season. Carters newest series –The Lone Gunman— is a spin off of –The X-Files— and features three computer-savvy conspiracy geeks. It premiers this Sunday, March 4th at 9 PM on FOX.

British novelist A.S. Byatt. Her novel Possession was a bestseller, and her novella Angels & Insects was turned into an arthouse film. Byatt's new novel is The Biographers Tale (Knopf). This interview was recorded before a live audience at the Free Public Library in Philadelphia.

Mike Judge, the creator of, and voice behind, MTVs phenomena Beavis and Butthead. His current creation is the Fox series King of the Hill, where he provides the voice for main character, Hank. Hes also the writer, director and producer of the cult movie Office Space. A self-taught animator with a physics degree, Kraft talks about animation and comedy. King of the Hill is an Emmy nominated series nearing its 100th episode next week.

His new book is called Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution (Perseus, 2001). It charts the movement begun by computer programmers who believe software should be given away for free. Moody is a London-based writer whose work has appeared in Wired, The Economist, and The Financial Times.

Guitarist and singer Howard Fishman of the Howard Fishman Quartet. The group's material draws on a wide variety of American music: jazz, blues, country, folk and Texas swing, but their experimental and improvisational style sets them apart. The Quartet includes trumpeter Erik Jekabson, bassist Jonathan Flaugher, and violinist Russell Farhang. The group debuted in the Oak Room of the Algonquin two years ago. They wrap up a engagement at Joe's Pub in New York City July 29th. The Quartet is currently working on a jazz opera We Are Destroyed in conjunction with The Public Theatre.

Teenagers are the hottest consumer demographic in America. Media analyst Douglas Rushkoff examines the multi-billion dollar marketing industry aimed at teenagers in the new Frontline documentary The Merchants of Cool. (Tuesday, Feb. 27th at 10 PM). Rushkoff is also the author of Coercion: Why We Listen to What They Say (Riverhead books) about how our everyday decisions are influenced by marketers, politicians, religious leaders, and other forces.

Singer and musician David Johansen was the lead singer for the 70s pre-punk punk rock band New York Dolls. Later he performed as Buster Poindexter, a pompadour tuxedo wearing lounge lizard swing bandleader of the band Banshees in Blue. Now he has a new roots-music band and a new album of straight blues, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths.