Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the soundtrack for the movie "Less Than Zero." Though the movie was something of a flop, the soundtrack continues to produce hits.
Stage and screen actor Joe Mantegna. He can be seen now in "House of Games," the first film effort by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet, with whom Mantegna has had a long association. His stage work includes the lead role in "Glengarry, Glen Ross," the Mamet play that won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize; Mantegna won a Tony Award for his performance. Mantegna revels in shady characters: gamblers, cutthroat salesman, mobsters and Hollywood hucksters.
Polish writer Ryszard Kapuscinski. His writing lies somewhere between history and journalism. He was a foreign correspondent for the Polish Press Agency. His books in English include The Emperor, about Ethiopian emperor Haille Selassie, Shah of Shah, about the Shah of Iran, and Another Day of Life, about Angola.
Fresh Air's Television Critic David Bianculli. Bianculli has worked as television critic at several metropolitan papers, including The Akron Beacon Journal, The Fort Lauderdale News and The Philadelphia Inquirer. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone and the Washington Journalism Review. He is currently the television critic for The New York Post.
William Greider, political reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine, former assistant managing editor of The Washington Post and author of Secrets of the Temple - How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new compact disc issue of Haydn performances with trumpet virtuoso Gerard Schwartz leading the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Book critic John Leonard reviews Mothers of Invention, a book about the the unrecognized role women had in the technological breakthroughs of the modern era. The authors are Ethlie Ann Vare and Greg Ptacek.
Avant-garde accordionist and composer Guy Klucevsek. Klucevsek grew up in western Pennsylvania, where polkas were a poplar musical form. Klucevsek has since developed an alternative polka style, best exemplified in his work on `"Polka From the Fringe," 23 three-minute polkas composed by a variety of experimental artists.
A discussion about what it's like to test positive for the HIV antibody but not have AIDS. The panel includes members of the New York City group Body Positive, a support group that counsels people who have tested positive for the antibody.
Actor Ray Sharkey. He starred last season in the television series "Wiseguy." His feature film credits include a fast-talking rock promoter in "The Idolmaker," a romantic dreamer in "Love and Money," and a sadistic killer in "Who'll Stop the Rain." Sharkey won the Golden Globe award as best actor in 1982 for his performance in "The Idolmaker."
Vincent Harding. He was the first director of the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta. He worked with Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement and he's written a history of the struggle for civil rights titled There is a River.
Television Critic David Bianculli reviews "Strange Interlude," the first offering of American Playhouse's seventh season. The play was written by Eugene O'Neill. This production stars Glenda Jackson, David Dukes and Ken Howard.
Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Benny Carter, the elder statesman of the alto saxophone. He reviews the new American Jazz Orchestra recording of Carter compositions, featuring Carter, pianist John Lewis and bassist Ron Carter, among others.
Andrew Porter. He's the classical music critic for The New Yorker Magazine. He's just published a collection of his articles in a book titled Musical Events.
