Rock Critic Ken Tucker. It's another in the continuing series of interviews with Fresh Air's contributors. Ken tells us how a frustrated college poet found himself in crowded clubs listening to punk bands and being paid for it.
Actor Carl Weathers. He stars in the new film "Action Jackson." His first big role was as the fighter Apollo Creed in the four "Rocky" films. Before acting, Weathers played football for the Oakland Raiders.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recent recording in which Seiji Ozawa leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in music of Gabriel Faure. The album also features soprano Lorraine Hunt and cellist Jules Eskin.
Actress Joan Chen. She co-stars in the epic film "The Last Emperor" as the Emperor Pu Yi's wife. In her native China, she was one of the country's leading actresses. Since moving to the United States, she has also appeared in the film "Tai-Pan."
Rock historian Ed Ward profiles Little Willie John, an unrecognized rhythm and blues singer in the 50s who recorded the song "Fever" long before Peggy Lee made it a pop hit.
Lewis H. Lapham, Editor of Harper's Magazine. His new book, Money and Class in America, explores the worship of the dollar - what Lapham calls our "civil religion."
Television Critic David Bianculli previews "The Man Who Shot John Lennon," the "Frontline" documentary on Mark David Chapman. The program relies on audiotaped psychiatric interviews with Chapman, and on a close analysis of the novel The Catcher in the Rye, which Chapman followed as though it were a script for Lennon's murder.
David Aaron, former deputy director of the National Security Council. His experience as an arms negotiator in the Carter administration provides the background for State Scarlet, his novel about terrorism and nuclear weapons.
The first part of a two-part interview with filmmaker and writer John Waters. His new film - "Hairspray" - follows a long line of wildly eccentric films like "Polyester," "Pink Flamingos," and "Female Trouble." Like those films, the setting for "Hairspray" is Baltimore. The cast includes Divine, Debbie Harry, Pia Zadora and Sonny Bono.
Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Current Set," bassist Mark Helias' second album as band leader and writer. Helias is probably best known for his work in the late 70s and early 80s with saxophonists Dewey Redman and Anthony Braxton. "The Current Set" features trumpeter Herb Robertson, trombonist Robin Eubanks and alto saxophonist Tim Berne.
Record producer Thomas Z. Shepard, one of the most imaginative and successful producers of Broadway and classical recordings. Shepard has produced the cast recordings for "Sweeney Todd," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "La Cage Aux Folles," and "Me and My Girl," which has just been nominated for a Grammy.
Fresh Air's film critic Stephen Schiff. Schiff is the Critic-at-Large for Vanity Fair magazine where he writes feature articles and the monthly film review column, "Short Schiff." From 1978 to 1983, Schiff was the film critic for the weekly Boston Phoenix. He has served three terms as chairman of the National Society of Film Critics.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "The Serpent and the Rainbow," the latest horror film by horror-master Wes Craven, and "She's Having a Baby," by John Hughes, the director of "Pretty in Pink."
Father Robert Drinan. For ten years, he was a Congressman from Massachusetts. He left his seat when the Pope ordered all priests to leave elected office. He now teaches law at Georgetown University and has recently completed a book on human rights.
Novelist and translator Richard Lourie. His new novel is titled Zero Gravity and follows his successful debut First Loyalty. Lourie has been closely involved with the Russian and Polish underground intelligentsia and the emigre communities in America.
