Terry Gross
Terry Gross is the host and an executive producer of Fresh Air, the daily program of interviews and reviews. It is produced at WHYY in Philadelphia, where Gross began hosting the show in 1975, when it was broadcast only locally. She was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2016. Fresh Air with Terry Gross received a Peabody Award in 1994 for its “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight.” America Women in Radio and Television presented her with a Gracie Award in 1999 in the category of National Network Radio Personality. In 2003, she received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Edward R. Murrow Award for her “outstanding contributions to public radio” and for advancing the “growth, quality and positive image of radio.” Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and received a bachelor’s degree in English and M.Ed. in communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, NY.
Podcaster Chronicles Racism, 'Resistance' And The Fight For Black Lives
Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr.'s "Resistance" podcast explores different aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement. The podcast has been mostly devoted to the protests that started last summer after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but it also chronicles Tejan-Thomas Jr.'s personal history.
Journalist Investigates 'Crime Story' Of The Sackler Family And The Opioid Crisis
The story of the Sackler dynasty--the family that owns Purdue Pharma, which created oxycontin, the drug marketed to relieve acute and chronic pain, that played a major role in creating the opioid epidemic. Patrick Radden Keefe's new book is Empire of Pain. It’s based in part on leaked documents and private emails that reveal the Sacklers knew about how addictive oxycontin is--before they admitted it, and they used deceptive practices to keep selling more of the drug.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. On 'The Black Church' And His Own Bargain With Jesus
When he was 12, Gates made a bargain with Jesus in an attempt to save his mother's life. He talks about how that altered his own life, and his new book and PBS series, The Black Church.
Leslie Odom Jr. Finds Sam Cooke's Voice In 'One Night In Miami'
Odom Jr. landed his first Broadway role at 16, and later starred as Aaron Burr in Hamilton. Now he's up for two Oscars, one for his role as Cooke in One Night in Miami.
No Longer '20 Feet From Stardom': Singer Merry Clayton Steps Out Of The Background
Clayton sang backup with Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Carole King and many others. Now she has a new album — where she's front and center — called Beautiful Scars. Originally broadcast in 2013.
'Dance Can Give Community': Twyla Tharp On Choreographing Through Lockdown
Neither the pandemic nor age can keep legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp from her work. During the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, Tharp, now 79, choreographed several dances through through Zoom. She's the subject of a new PBS American Masters documentary.
For This Palestinian Cook, The Kitchen Is A 'Powerful Place' — Not A 'Life Sentence'
Reem assis says that many foods that are considered Middle Eastern or Israeli actually originated as Palestinian dishes. Her first cookbook, The Palestinian Table, chronicled the history of Palestinian food — along with some of her personal history. In her new book, The Arabesque Table, Kassis expands the focus to the cross-cultural culinary history of the Arab world.
Poet Hanif Abdurraqib On The Intersection Of Black Excellence, Joy And Pain
What do Soul Train and Whitney Houston tell us about race in America? In his book, A Little Devil in America, the culture critic traces the history of Black performance through moments in pop culture.
Singer Brandi Carlile Talks Ambition, Avoidance And Finally Finding Her Place
Carlile traces her path to country stardom in the new memoir, Broken Horses. To date, she's won six Grammys, including back-to-back wins for best country song in 2020 and 2021.
Remembering Watergate Conspirator G. Gordon Liddy
Liddy, who died March 30, was convicted in 1973 for his role in the conspiracy to burglarize and bug the Democratic Party's headquarters at the Watergate office complex. Originally broadcast in 1980.