Episodes

  • With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever

    With 'I Love Lucy,' Desi Arnaz Changed TV Forever
    Jun 2 2025
    The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Desi Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom.

    Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

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    45 mins
  • Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola

    Best Of: Sarah Silverman / Cole Escola
    May 31 2025
    Comic Sarah Silverman talks about her new Netflix special, PostMortem, about the death of her father and stepmother, 9 days apart. She talks with Terry Gross about how the special came to be.

    Also, we hear from Cole Escola, creator and star of the hit Broadway comedy Oh Mary! It's an intentionally ridiculous reimagining of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln. It portrays her as having become addicted to alcohol, not because of the Civil War, but because she's desperately yearning for her only true love, cabaret.

    Plus, Ken Tucker reviews new albums by Willie Nelson and Ken Pomeroy.

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    48 mins
  • A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade

    A Veteran Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade
    May 30 2025
    Filmmaker and stunt coordinator David Leitch says it's easier to do stunts himself than direct his stunt performer friends. "You are responsible for their safety," he explains. "Your heart goes through your chest." His film The Fall Guy is about the unknown performers who put their lives on the line. He spoke with Terry Gross about barrel rolling cars, being lit on fire, and doing another take when everything hurts.

    Also, Justin Chang reviews the new Wes Anderson film, The Phoenician Scheme.

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    45 mins
  • Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief

    Sarah Silverman Finds The Funny In Grief
    May 29 2025
    Silverman's father and stepmother are buried under one tombstone that reads: "Janice and Donald, who loved to laugh." The loss was a starting point for Silverman's "cathartic" Netflix comedy special, PostMortem. She spoke with Terry Gross about their final days, finding the joy in grief, and she reflects on the boys' club of the comedy scene when she was starting out.

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    45 mins
  • The Talented Mr. Vance

    The Talented Mr. Vance
    May 28 2025
    The Atlantic writer George Packer calls JD Vance the most interesting figure in the Trump administration: "He's capable of complex thought, and I also think he may be the future of the MAGA movement."

    Also, David Bianculli reviews the HBO movie Mountainhead, written by Succession writer/creator Jesse Armstrong.

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    45 mins
  • Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration

    Author James Patterson On The Art Of Collaboration
    May 27 2025
    James Patterson's books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. He says he often gets ideas for them late at night. His latest, The #1 Dad Book, offers advice for fathers. He spoke with Terry Gross at a WHYY live event for the "Lifelong Learning Award."

    Also, Martin Johnson reviews a new album from accordionist Will Holshouser, and we listen back to Terry's interview with him when he brought his instrument to the studio.

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    47 mins
  • Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius

    Questlove On Sly Stone And The Burden Of Black Genius
    May 26 2025
    For the holiday weekend, we're revisiting our recent interview with Questlove. His documentary, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), examines Sly Stone's enormous impact on music — and the price he paid for it. "Sly will invent the alphabet for which most of pop and R&B or Black music will write from for the next 60 years," Questlove says. "We're still writing from his dictionary to this day."

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    46 mins
  • Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age

    Best Of: Education & A.I. / Having A Child In The Digital Age
    May 24 2025
    Professors and educators are now turning to A.I. to prepare lessons, teach, and even grade students' work. We talk with New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill about the ongoing debate in higher-ed about A.I..

    TV critic David Bianculli reviews One to One, a new documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

    Also, writer Amanda Hess talks about motherhood in the digital age, navigating a world where apps, surveillance tech, and a relentless stream of algorithmic advice have become part of pregnancy and parenting. Her book is Second Life.

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    48 mins
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