Impresario Joseph Papp helped launch Broadway hits like A Chorus Line and The Pirates of Penzance, and founded the New York Shakespeare Festival. He talks about the political aspects of theater casting, production, and criticism.
Harry Shearer got his start in show business at the age of seven. He now writes comedy for television and radio. Shearer joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss his experiences onstage, finding an outlet for his political humor, and his love of bad TV.
Time Magazine film critic Richard Schickel's new book compiles promotional photographs of film actors that were taken while they were under contract with movie studios -- a publicity model which became obsolete with the advent of television talk shows and the decline of studio contracts.
Former Democratic congressperson and presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy has a new memoir about his political career called Up 'til Now. He talks to Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the tumultuous Vietnam War years.
Celebrated political journalist and commentator David Broder writes for the Washington Post. He joins Fresh Air to discuss the ethical issues raised by stakeout journalism, especially the kind that scrutinizes the personal lives of politicians like presidential hopeful Gary Hart.
In honor of the composer's 99th birthday, Fresh Air invites Peggy King to perform several of his songs in studio. She is accompanied by pianist Mike Abene.
TV critic David Bianculli regrets the mixed reviews he once gave to what he later considered the best show on television. Though it often never reached its full potential, Bianculli credits Hill Street Blues with laying the groundwork for more sophisticated programming and storytelling on TV.
Film critic Stephen Schiff believes that the proliferation of film critics on television, whose insights he believes are often superficial, has led moviegoers to believe that emotional manipulation is the sole criterion for great cinema.
David Bowie claims that his new album, Never Let Me Down, includes every style he's played throughout his 17-album career. Rock critic Ken Tucker says the music is an improvement over the pop legend's recent movies and records.
The white South African writer hopes that her works have educated her readers about the realities of apartheid in her home country. Her newest book is called A Sport of Nature.
Tipper Gore, wife of Tennessee senator Albert Gore, is concerned with the increasingly violent and sexual nature of popular music's lyrics, videos, and culture. She believes that record companies should alert consumers to an album's explicit content so parents can make informed decision regarding what their children listen to.
Despite the current popularity of minimalist music, classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz believes that Ellott Carter, whose work never shies away from complexity, is the greatest living composer.
Dave Marsh is a friend and biographer of the New Jersey rock star. He explains how Springsteen's work has matured, and the impact the artist's albums have had on the songwriter's fans.
Bill James publishes yearly collections of baseball statistics. From the data he compiles, James sees narratives emerge about the sport and its athletes.
In his new memoir, The Body Silent, anthropologist Robert Francis Murphy explores his experiences as a quadriplegic, a condition brought on by a spinal tumor.
