Singer and actor Kris Kristofferson. His hit songs "Me and Bobby McGee," and "Help Me Make it Through the Night," earned him acclaim as a country singer. His musical success led him to films, and he went on to act in westerns ("Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid"), comedies ("Semi-Tough"), and musicals ("A Star is Born"). In the past few years, he's appeared in the TV mini-series "Amerika" and "Blood and Orchids."
The first of a two-part interview with comedian and political satirist Al Franken. Along with partner Tom Davis, Franken has written for and performed on "Saturday Night Live" since 1975. This first part focuses on Franken's political satire, which is in full bloom during the current presidential primary season.
Book Critic John Leonard reviews two new biographies of Roy Cohn, the counsel for the Senate committee conducting the McCarthy trials, and McCarthy's aide and confidante.
Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the band Brinsley Schwarz. During the 70s, this band started the pub rock scene, where people put off by the glamour posturing of popular rock stars could hear rock-n-roll in informal and inexpensive surroundings.
Herbert Mitgang, cultural correspondent for The New York Times, and a former member of its editorial board. His new book, Dangerous Dossiers: Exposing the Secret War Against America's Greatest Authors, examines the 50-year espionage campaign waged by the CIA and the FBI against writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, William Faulkner and Norman Mailer.
Actress Annie Potts. She's becoming familiar to audiences for her role in TV's "Designing Women." But before that, she was cast often as quirky, off-the-wall characters in films like "Ghostbusters" and "Pretty in Pink."
The first in a seven-part series of performance pieces with Mac Rebennack, better known as Dr. John. Today, a tribute to legendary New Orleans pianist Professor Longhair.
Marian Burros, food columnist for "The New York Times." Her weekly column "De Gustibus" is an eccentric and informative look at what we eat, from trendy purple vegetables to Mother's medicinal chicken soup.
Writer John Updike. He is one of the most-read, most-published, most-analyzed American writers. His works include The Witches of Eastwick, The Coup, Rabbit Run and Rabbit Redux. Updike's new novel, S, is a modern story drawn from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.
Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews "Naked," the long-awaited album from The Talking Heads. The album experiments with a variety of genres, including Funk, African Pop and Salsa.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "D.O.A.," the new movie starring Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. Quaid plays a college professor who is poisoned and has 24 hours before his imminent death to find his murderer.
Gene LePere. Her book, Never Pass This Way Again, documents her arrest and month-long detention in Turkey for allegedly smuggling archeological artifacts.
Bill Buford, editor of Granta Magazine, a literary publication that offers journalism, criticism and fiction. Authors whose work the magazine has published include American short-story writer Raymond Carver, Czech novelist Milan Kundera, and Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Traveler Eric Hansen. In 1982, Hansen set out alone across Borneo, an island in Indonesia composed almost entirely of rain forests and populated by natives who have had the least amount of of contact with westerners. Hansen's account of his travels is contained in the book Stranger in the Forest: A Foot Across Borneo. Hansen has also travelled to North Africa, Afghanistan, Nepal, India and Southeast Asia.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the career of British conductor Jeffrey Tate. Tate has been crippled since birth. His first career was medicine. Lloyd reviews a new recording featuring Tate and the English Chamber Orchestra playing Haydn's Military Symphony No. 100 and the Drum Roll Symphony.
Journalist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield. His new book, Returning: A Spiritual Journey, describes his encounters with alcoholism, atheism, psychoanalysis, and his ultimate rediscovery of spiritual belief.
Rock historian Ed Ward profiles Louis Jordan. Between 1930 and 1950, Jordan spearheaded the rhythm and blues sound. He was one of the very first crossover artists, appealing to both blacks and whites. Ed focuses on the Louis Jordan who pioneered rap music.
