Mothers and sons
Stephen Colbert On Missing His Live Audience And Making Comedy A Family Business
Stephen Colbert reflects on life and doing his show during the pandemic, and surviving the Trump presidency.
Remembering Award-Winning Author Robb Forman Dew
Dew, who died May 22, wrote intimately about family relationships in both fiction and nonfiction. She spoke to Terry Gross in 1994 about The Family Heart, her memoir about learning her son was gay.
'Fresh Air' Remembers Bollywood Icon Irrfan Khan
One of India's most beloved film stars, Khan, who died April 29, became internationally known for his work in films like Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi. Originally broadcast in 2012.
Historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. On DNA Testing And Finding His Own Roots
As host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Gates tells celebrities about their family history. He reflects on his own history and some of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing.
'Hey, Kiddo' Aims To Help Kids With Addicted Parents Feel Less Alone
When author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in the fourth grade, his grandparents called him into the living room. "I remember thinking: Oh maybe we're going to go on another family vacation," he says. (The last time they called a family meeting he learned they were going to Disney World.)
Remembering Milos Forman, Director Of 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'
The Academy Award-winning filmmaker, who died on April 13, spoke to Fresh Air in 1994 about growing up in the former Czechoslovakia, first under the Gestapo, then under communist rule.
Actor Brian Tyree Henry On Fame, Authenticity And 'Atlanta'
Henry plays Alfred, aka the rapper "Paper Boi," on the FX series Atlanta. As his character becomes more successful, Henry says, he's getting "a little further away from the essence of who [he] is."
Reporter Shares Life Lessons From A Year With 'The Oldest Old'
New York Times reporter John Leland followed six people above the age of 85 for one year. That series changed his understanding of old age — and inspired his book, Happiness is a Choice You Make.
John Hodgman Reflects On His Mother's Death And White Privilege
Growing up an only child in Massachusetts, humorist John Hodgman longed to be considered interesting. In high school, he grew his hair out, wore a fedora and carried a briefcase in an effort to look like Doctor Who.
Tom Perrotta's 'Mrs. Fletcher' Shares 'Post-Parental' Reflections From An Empty Nest
Perrotta's most recent novel was inspired by the upheaval he experienced when his kids grew up and moved out of the house. Originally broadcast July 31, 2017.