Fresh Air from WHYY

Schedule

88.5-1

Monday - Thursday

3:00 pm

88.3

Monday - Thursday

3:00 pm

88.5-3

Friday

3:00 pm

Fresh Air opens the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.

Terry Gross hosts this multi-award-winning daily interview and features program. The veteran public radio interviewer is known for her extraordinary ability to engage guests of all dispositions. Every weekday she delights intelligent and curious listeners with revelations on contemporary societal concerns.

Find more information about Fresh Air.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Stooges Are Back, And Nyukking Things Up Again

The Farrelly brothers' new film reimagines Moe, Curly and Larry in the present day, but retains the Stooges' trademark slapstick humor and sound effects. "We tried to keep it looking exactly like the Stooges did it," says Peter Farrelly.

From Dominican Roots, Bachata Is Here To Stay

During the last 20 years, bachata has risen from the back country of the Dominican Republic to take its place next to salsa in concert halls. Milo Miles considers bachata's humble beginnings and the continuing appeal of its simpler side.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Jenny Scheinman's 'Mayhem' Hard To Pin Down

Scheinman's quartet features players raised on and accustomed to performing all kinds of music.

Stories Put Spotlight On NYPD Surveillance Program

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the New York City Police Department transformed itself into an aggressive domestic intelligence unit and monitored hundreds of Muslims in their mosques, workplaces and schools. Journalist Matt Apuzzo, who helped uncover the story, just won a Pulitzer Prize.

In 'Monsieur Lazhar,' Grief Lingers In The Classroom

The French Canadian film was one of five nominees for last year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It's now opening in theaters around the country. It's about a sixth-grade teacher who struggles to connect with students in a Montreal school following a terrible event. (Recommended)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Race To Create The Best Antiviral Drugs

Researchers want to create a widely effective drug that targets viruses much in the same way that penicillin kills a wide range of bacteria. Science writer Carl Zimmer profiles the scientists who are developing these antiviral drugs, and the technology behind it, in his latest piece for Wired magazine.

The Jazz Drummer Who Makes Music Out Of Everything

Han Bennink hears sonic possibilities in many objects beyond the typical drum set. The Dutch drum maestro, one of the leaders in European free jazz and free improvisation, joined Fresh Air for an in-studio interview and concert. Before he left, he drummed on virtually everything in the office.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Interpreting Shariah Law Across The Centuries

In his new book, Heaven on Earth, English barrister Sadakat Kadri describes how early Islamic scholars codified — and then modified — the Shariah laws that would govern how Muslim people lead their daily lives. He then reflects on the present day, describing how today's religious scholars interpret the Shariah.

Loudon Wainwright III Looks Back At His 'Old Man'

Over the past four decades, the singer has chronicled his relationships with his ex-wife, the late Kate McGarrigle, and his children, the singers Rufus and Martha Wainwright. His new album, Older Than My Old Man Now, addresses his relationship with yet another family member: his father.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Fresh Air Weekend: R.A. Dickey, Carole King

In her new memoir, A Natural Woman, Carol King details the stories behind some of her most famous songs and her relationships with songwriters like James Taylor, Gerry Goffin and Paul Simon. Also, New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey talks about being the only knuckleball pitcher in the major leagues.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Poet Marie Howe Reflects On The 'Living' After Loss

"Poetry holds the knowledge that we are alive and that we know we're going to die," poet Marie Howe tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. One of Howe's most famous poems, "What the Living Do," was recently included in The Penguin Anthology of 20th-Century American Poetry.

Lena Dunham's 'Girls' Navigate New York City Life

This Sunday, HBO premieres Girls, a new comedy series written and directed by 25-year-old Lena Dunham, who first grabbed the media spotlight with her film Tiny Furniture in 2010. David Bianculli says the series is a cross between Sex and the City and Louie.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

'Chico & Rita': An Animated Film With A Cuban Beat

Director Fernando Trueba talks about his Oscar-nominated animated film Chico and Rita, which follows a pair of lovers who leave Havana's music scene in the 1940s to head to New York City.

Welfare Overhaul's Impact On America's Poorest

New York Times reporter Jason DeParle recently traveled to Arizona, where many people have been dropped from the welfare program. Republican leaders now want to apply the changes made to the welfare program to other aspects of the social safety net, such as Medicaid and food stamps.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

For Carole King, Songwriting Is A 'Natural' Talent

Carole King wrote songs for others before becoming a performer and writing for herself. In her new memoir, A Natural Woman, she details the stories behind some of her most famous songs and her relationships with songwriters like James Taylor, Gerry Goffin and Paul Simon.

Pages

Arts & Culture

NPR

Where's Jimmy Hoffa? Everywhere And Nowhere

FBI agents believe they have a credible lead on the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa's body. If they're right, it will solve a longstanding mystery, which will also deflate Hoffa's resonance in popular culture.

Food

WAMU 88.5

After Four Years Of Fighting, D.C. Council Approves New Rules For Food Trucks

The new rules create a long-awaited regulatory framework for what has become a popular and industry made up of over 150 food trucks.

Politics

WAMU 88.5

Virginia Democrats Seek To Chip Away At Republican Majority In House of Delegates

Thirteen first-time Democratic candidates said yesterday that they hoped to unseat Northern Virginia Republicans as part of a plan to get closer to a majority in the House of Delegates.

Technology

NPR

U.S. Automakers Are On A Roll, But Hiring Is Slow And Steady

Profits for the nation's carmakers are on the rise, but after years of doing more with less, higher profits are unlikely to translate into significant numbers of new jobs. There are eight fewer plants and hundreds of thousands fewer workers in the industry than before the Great Recession.

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Fresh Air from WHYY

Arts & Culture

Where's Jimmy Hoffa? Everywhere And Nowhere

Food

After Four Years Of Fighting, D.C. Council Approves New Rules For Food Trucks

Politics

Virginia Democrats Seek To Chip Away At Republican Majority In House of Delegates

Technology

U.S. Automakers Are On A Roll, But Hiring Is Slow And Steady

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