Terry Gross

The political satirist and comedian talks about his Broadway performance (and performance anxieties) and about his recent segments on The Colbert Report featuring Sarah Palin and Anthony Weiner.

Super 8 director J.J. Abrams says the inspiration for his latest science-fiction thriller came from his own childhood obsession with filmmaking. He shares his thoughts on the film industry and on trying to make movies more enjoyable for audiences.

Drinking didn't stop in the United States from 1920 to 1933 — it just went underground. Author Daniel Okrent discusses the lasting cultural and political impact of Prohibition in his book, Last Call.

The History Channel star details how he became an expert in customer relations, human behavior, antiques, economics — and spotting fake Rolexes — while running his family's Las Vegas pawn shop.

British comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon trade barbs and impressions in the new comedy, The Trip. Coogan, best known for his character Alan Partridge, talks about the improvisational film, which sends the two comedians on a road trip in Northern England.

To make the electric car viable, manufacturers need to create better batteries. But the road to creating a better, long-lasting battery has not been easy. Science writer Seth Fletcher explains why in his book, Bottled Lightning: Superbatteries, Electric Cars and the New Lithium Economy.

Los Straitjackets are a Nashville-based indie-rock band that's made their name performing surf-rock classics from behind Mexican wrestling masks. The band is about to hit the road to raise money for band member Danny Amis, who was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Newsweek correspondent Maziar Bahari was arrested in Tehran in 2009 while covering Iran's election protests. He explains how he endured 118 days in Iran's notorious Evin Prison, where he was repeatedly interrogated and tortured — and how he now views his homeland.

The movie Beginners stars Ewan McGregor as a young man who learns that his 75-year-old father, played by Christopher Plummer, is gay. The movie is based on filmmaker Mike Mills' own life. Mills explains what happened when his own dad came out.