Journalist Thomas Friedman Reports from Beirut

Many contemporary musicians cite Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young as among the prime innovators of jazz sax saxophone. But historian Loren Schoenberg says we shouldn't overlook the soulful contributions of Herschel Evans, who played with Count Basie's band.

The director lives in San Francisco, far from the filmmaking hub of Los Angeles. Takahashi's isolation has allowed him to develop a unique directorial style. He join Fresh Air to discuss how he best takes advantage of the creative freedom given to him when making a commercial or logo.

Critic Ken Tucker recommends the home video release of the recent thriller. He says the premise -- a demon-possessed doll terrorizes a family -- is absurd, but the movie features characters with surprising depth. And while Child's Play is violent, it doesn't rely solely on gore to terrify its audience.