Investigative reporter Howard Kohn has covered stories like the Patty Hearst kidnapping and the death of Karen Silkwood. When his father's health started to fail, Kohn decided to move back to the family farm in Michigan. His new memoir, The Last Farmer, documents that experience, and considers the relationship between parents and their adult children.
Krassner, who died July 21, published and edited the magazine The Realist from 1958 until 1974 and became known as "the father of the underground press." Originally broadcast in 1988.
Bill Griffith's comic strip character Zippy appears in alternative and mainstream newspapers nationwide. Fresh Air host Terry Gross describes Zippy as a hulking, pop culture and somewhere between the age of 14 and 35.
Krassner publishes the countercultural and satirical magazine The Realist; he founded it in 1958, while he still lived with his parents. He also cofounded the yippies, who sought to combine politics and theater--and participated in the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Krassner now brings his left-leaning politics to the comedy stage.
Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new biopic about the late zoologist, Gorillas in the Mist, is malarkey, with a script that shies away from the most compelling parts of Fossey's story. But star Sigourney Weaver shines.
In an age when musical distinctiveness is paramount, the band Was (Not Was) switches genres -- and lead vocalists -- from song to song. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews their new album, What Up, Dog, which features guest singers Elvis Costello and Frank Sinatra Jr.
Rather than features songs from the 1970s in the recent Patty Hearst biopic, the filmmakers recruited composer Scott Johnson to write the soundtrack. His dense score combines synthesizers with heavy percussion, but retains the accessibility of pop music.
Tom Waits' music is changing, incorporating new styles like tango and Tin Pan Alley. He has a new performance film called Big Time, which features Waits singing different personas, and an album of the same name.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz never saw She Loves Me on Broadway, but recently discovered the reissued original cast recording. He says the musical has the feel of classic operetta, and succeeds at everything it sets out to do.
Language commentator Geoff Nunberg talks about the game "settings," wherein players pair poems with complimentary pieces of music. The goal is to find works whose rhythm and meter sync up.
Oscar-winning actress Sally Field stars opposite Tom Hanks in the new movie Punchline. Field's character Lilah is an aspiring stand-up comic who still has a lot to learn. Field also produced the film. She talks about her early career in television, and the risks she took to pursue her dream of acting.
Rock historian Ed Ward considers the influence of early Mexican American rock bands. Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were a goofy novelty act; the Question Marks incorporated the sounds of traditional Mexican music into their songs.
Eric Kraft created a literary alter ego named Peter Leroy; Leroy's exploits were chronicled in newsletters and, later, eight novels. Kraft's newest book, Herb 'n' Lorna, is about Leroy's grandparents, who sell erotic jewelry.
Book critic John Leonard says that Andrew Vachss' new Burke detective novel Blue Belle, about the disturbing world of child porn and prostitution, is not for the faint of heart. He has this review.
Harold Brodkey is famous for working on his as-of-yet unpublished novel for the past thirty years. Some critics think he's brilliant; others call him a fraud. His work deals with consciousness and memory.
Jazz singer Sheila Jordan grew up in a Pennsylvania coal mining town. She says if she had never heard Charlie Parker, she would have become a country singer. She was recently laid off from her day job of 21 years; now she can perform full-time. Bassist Harvie Swartz joins her for an in-studio performance.
TV critic David Bianculli compares the recent Bush/Dukakis presidential debate to a boxing match, filled with verbal jabs. He considers the efficacy of their attacks -- one-liners, put-downs, and pre-written ad-libs -- in highlighting their policy differences.
Bassist Milt Hinton pushed his instrument to new territories in jazz. He was also an avid photographer, who took pictures other noteworthy musicians during their tours across the country. His new memoir and photography collection is called Bass Lines. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the book brings Hinton out of the shadows.
A new slew of previously unreleased Alfred Hitchcock films are now out on video. Critic Ken Tucker reviews his favorite, Shadow of a Doubt. Also available for home viewing are John Water's Hairspray and the comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
