Fresh Air: Stars

by Terry Gross

Drawn from 13 years of engaging, intelligent talks with actors, directors, playwrights, producers, icons, and legends, this collection features many interviews never before available on CD. Includes interviews with: Dustin Hoffman Gene Hackman Clint Eastwood Samuel L. Jackson David Chase, creator of The Sopranos Uta Hagen, Tony-winner and teacher of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino Jeremy Irons Francis Ford Coppola Audrey Hepburn and more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

120 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Gross received a bachelor's degree in English and M.Ed. in communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Gross was recognized with the Columbia Journalism Award from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in 2008 and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Princeton University in 2002. She received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993 and Doctor of Humane Letters in 2007, both from SUNY–Buffalo. She also received a Doctor of Letters from Haverford College in 1998 and Honorary Doctor of Letters from Drexel University in 1989.

Gross, who has been host of Fresh Air since 1975, when it was broadcast only in greater Philadelphia, isn't afraid to ask tough questions. But Gross sets an atmosphere in which her guests volunteer the answers rather than surrendering them. What often puts those guests at ease is Gross' understanding of their work. "Anyone who agrees to be interviewed must decide where to draw the line between what is public and what is private," Gross says. "But the line can shift, depending on who is asking the questions. What puts someone on guard isn't necessarily the fear of being 'found out.' It sometimes is just the fear of being misunderstood."

Gross began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, New York. There she hosted and produced several arts, women's and public affairs programs, including This Is Radio, a live, three-hour magazine program that aired daily. Two years later, she joined the staff of WHYY-FM in Philadelphia as producer and host of Fresh Air, then a local, daily interview and music program. In 1985, WHYY-FM launched a weekly half-hour edition of Fresh Air with Terry Gross, which was distributed nationally by NPR. Since 1987, a daily, one-hour national edition of Fresh Air has been produced by WHYY-FM. The program is broadcast on 566 stations and became the first non-drive time show in public radio history to reach more than five million listeners each week in fall 2008, a presidential election season. In fall 2011, Fresh Air reached 4.4 million listeners a week.

Fresh Air with Terry Gross has received a number of awards, including the prestigious Peabody Award in 1994 for its "probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight." America Women in Radio and Television presented Gross with a Gracie Award in 1999 in the category of National Network Radio Personality. In 2003, she received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Edward R. Murrow Award for her "outstanding contributions to public radio" and for advancing the "growth, quality and positive image of radio." In 2007, Gross received the Literarian Award. In 2011, she received the Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community.

Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004.

Reviews

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Every time I kill somebody in my movies, I'm really rehearsing my own death. . . . That's why I don't take death lightly in my films." --David Cronenberg

I got this to hear the interview with CCH Pounder, but I also enjoyed the interviews with Cronenberg, George Clooney, Thelma Schoonmaker, Billy Bob Thornton, Jodie Foster, Lisa Kudrow, Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Dave Chappelle, and Stephen Colbert.

I knew that Thornton has a phobia about antique furniture (European-style, not Asian), but I did not know that his mother is a psychic and that he has a phobia related to Benjamin Disraeli's hair.

Terry Gross is one of the best interviewers out there, so it's always interesting to hear the questions she comes up with. Also, she gives the person space to answer the question, instead of talking all the time.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You might call these the "lost interviews " of Terry Gross on the NPR show, "Fresh Air".
This CD was produced back in 2006, but the interviews are still "fresh".
Some of the very classic interviews include those with: Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle, George Clooney and Jodie Foster.

[Jeph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all three of the Best of Fresh Air collections we have at the All Ears Store : Laughs, Stars, and Stage and Screen.

Yes, I know, more NPR, Jeff?

Fresh Air, with Terry Gross is a long running NPR show in which Terry brings big name celebrities, comics, authors and others into the studio for in-depth interviews.

I found that these three collections, if not Fresh Air in general, was very reminiscent of the past show on Bravo, Inside the Actor's Studio.

Terry Gross talks with big names like Clint Eastwood, Joan Rivers, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Dave Chappelle and others.

Though Fresh Air was humorous at times, these interviews were heavily biographical. The meat of the interviews discussed the artists beginnings, inspirations, recollections and influential decisions. It was a fascinating listen, and I highly recommend it to any fans interested in pop culture and the developmental days of stars past and present.

[Becky Shaknovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish these were full interviews, rather than 15 minute excerpts. This audio book is worth listening to, if only for the interviews with Tim Curry and Billy Bob Thornton, both amazing people!

Also, there was an interview with Dave Chapelle, who grew up in Silver Springs, Maryland, I learned. Incidentally, this was the town from which I was taking the greyhound bus on the day I listened to this recording!

[Megan]

Stephen Colbert and Dave Chappelle...what more could you ask for

[Pamela]

A very fun listen as Terry interviews 18 different comedians.