Best Marion Roach Smith Podcasts (2025)

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Best Of: George Clooney / Costume Designer Paul Tazewell 48:47

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2d ago48:47

48:47

George Clooney stars in ‘Jay Kelly’ as a famous actor at a crossroads. He talks about his own relationship to fame and what drew him to the role. Also, Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell talks about his road to ‘Wicked.’ He’s spent more than three decades shaping looks for the stage and screen. And rock critic Ken Tucker has a round up of…

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Remembering Steve Cropper / Playwright Tom Stoppard 46:50

23h ago46:50

46:50

We remember guitarist, songwriter, and producer Steve Cropper, who helped create the Memphis soul sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s. He died this week at age 84. Stax Records produced soul hits by Booker T. & the M.G.s, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, and more. Cropper spoke with Terry Gross in 1990 about how he became part of the house rhythm section, and went …

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Ep. 155 Matthew White 30:54

2h ago30:54

30:54

Matthew White is an author, interior designer, antiquarian, preservationist, and a former ballet dancer. He is the author of Italy of My Dreams: The Story of an American Designer’s Real-life Passion for Italian Style. He is an emeritus board member and former chairman of Save Venice Inc. His new book is New York Minute: Public Clocks that Make the …

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George Clooney 45:03

12h ago45:03

45:03

Clooney stars as an aging movie star who has neglected his family life in favor of his career in Noah Baumbach’s new film ‘Jay Kelly. ' He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his own journey with fame, his Broadway rendition of “Good Night, and Good Luck,” and his op-ed calling for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Follow Fresh Air on in…

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Was The U.S. Attack On A Venezuelan Boat A War Crime? 46:51

1d ago46:51

46:51

Washington Post reporter Alex Horton talks about the Sept. 2 US military strike on a boat with alleged "narco terrorists," in which a second strike was ordered to kill two survivors in the water. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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War Photographer Lynsey Addario Still Has Hope 46:53

6d ago46:53

46:53

For 25 years, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario has covered conflicts and humanitarian crises across the globe, from Sudan to Syria. She’s been kidnapped twice, thrown from a car, and shelled in war zones more times than she can count. A new Nat Geo/Disney+ documentary called 'Love+War' follows Addario as she is torn in two dire…

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‘Wicked’ Costume Designer Paul Tazewell 44:39

3d ago44:39

44:39

Tazewell made history as the first Black man to win the Oscar for costume design for the first installment of Wicked. He talks with Tonya Mosley about Wicked: For Good, the movies that inspired him, and learning to sew as a child. “I made the decision that I would devote myself to costume design and live vicariously through other characters,” he sa…

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Best Of: Nutritionist Marion Nestle / Science Writer Mary Roach 48:49

6d ago48:49

48:49

Food policy expert and nutritionist Marion Nestle's 2006 book, ‘What to Eat,’ became a consumer bible of sorts when it came out, guiding readers through the supermarket while exposing how industry marketing and policy steer our food choices. Now, two decades later, she's back with ‘What to Eat Now,’ a revised field guide for the supermarket of 2025…

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Grand Ole Opry At 100: Earl Scruggs & Loretta Lynn 46:50

10d ago46:50

46:50

We mark the 100th anniversary of The Grand Ole Opry, country music’s biggest stage, and feature interviews with two of its members. First up, bluegrass banjo player Earl Scruggs. He and guitarist Lester Flatt had a hit with “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” Scruggs told Terry Gross how he developed his famous three-finger picking style while absent-minde…

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‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ From Flop To Hit 46:11

8d ago46:11

46:11

A filmed version of the live Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ will open in theaters on Dec. 5. We listen back to a 2024 interview with revival director Maria Friedman and actor Jonathan Groff. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

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Michael Shannon Gets A Turn Playing Good Guys 45:46

12d ago45:46

45:46

Shannon's known for playing intense, menacing characters, like Agent Nelson Van Alden in ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ In two new projects, though, he plays good guys – historical figures pursuing justice and political reform. He’s President James Garfield in the new Netflix series ‘Death by Lightning.’ And he’s a prosecutor trying Nazi leaders for war crime…

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A Manual For Keeping A Democracy 44:43

13d ago44:43

44:43

MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) legal analyst and former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance discusses recent impactful decisions by courts and the Justice Department, and how her son helped her understand Gen Z’s view of defending democracy. Her new book is ‘Giving Up is Unforgivable.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priva…

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Brendan Fraser Has Everything & Nothing To Prove 45:00

14d ago45:00

45:00

In his new film, 'Rental Family,' Brendan Fraser plays an actor in Tokyo who takes a job with a rental family service. It's based on a real phenomenon in Japan: companies where you can hire someone to fill a gap in your life. Fraser spoke with Tonya Mosley about shooting in Japan, working with Scorsese on ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ and his strug…

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Best Of: Ben Stiller / Cynthia Erivo 48:11

13d ago48:11

48:11

Ben Stiller talks about his new Apple TV+ documentary about his actor/comedian parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, they were famous as the comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. Ben talks about growing up in a showbiz family, where there was no separation between work and personal lives. Also, we hear from Cynthia Erivo. She stars i…

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A Look Back At Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ 46:51

14d ago46:51

46:51

Sixty-five years ago, Alfred Hitchcock shocked audiences with his film ‘Psycho.’ It broke Hollywood conventions about what a film should and should not do, ushered in a new era of horror/thriller, and became one of the most studied movies in cinema history. We listen back to Terry’s interview with star Janet Leigh, who talks about filming the famou…

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Ep. 154 Winnie Li 25:26

14d ago25:26

25:26

Winnie M Li is an American author and activist who has written for travel guidebooks, produced independent feature films, programmed for film festivals, and developed eco-tourism projects. Her first novel Dark Chapter was nominated for an Edgar Award and translated into ten languages, followed by the critically acclaimed Complicit. A survivor and a…

101
A Sleep Scientist Excavates The World Of Dreams 44:40

18d ago44:40

44:40

Michelle Carr has spent years researching what goes on in the brain while we dream. She explains dream engineering, including how sensory inputs like light, sound and vibration can influence the subconscious. Her book is ‘Nightmare Obscura.’ Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new season of ‘A Man on the Inside.’ Follow Fresh Air on instagr…

101
How Kash Patel Is Changing The FBI’s Mission 44:30

19d ago44:30

44:30

‘New Yorker’ staff writer Marc Fisher says Kash Patel became FBI director without senior law enforcement experience because of his loyalty to Trump and willingness to seek retribution for his perceived enemies. “There are some ways in which many FBI agents like the fact that Patel has steered the agency back towards what they see as basic crime fig…

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Ben Stiller On His Parents’ Showbiz Marriage 45:21

17d ago45:21

45:21

After the deaths of his parents, comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben found a stash of their audio recordings. Those tapes are at the center of a new documentary, ‘Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost.’ He spoke with Terry Gross about growing up in the spotlight, his father’s life-changing role on ‘Seinfeld,’ and the connection between his famil…

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Cynthia Erivo's Road To 'Wicked' 45:52

18d ago45:52

45:52

Erivo speaks with Tonya Mosley about the parallels between her life and the experience of her ‘Wicked’ character, Elphaba. She also talks about singing as a child, using perfume to get into character, and why she shaved her head. Erivo's new memoir is called ‘Simply More: A Book for Anyone who Has Been Told They're Too Much.’ Learn more about spons…

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Best Of: Ethan Hawke / Tim Robbins 48:38

20d ago48:38

48:38

Ethan Hawke stars in the new movie ‘Blue Moon,’ about lyricist Lorenz Hart, half of the Broadway duo Rodgers and Hart. It’s his ninth collaboration with director Richard Linklater. He’s also in the new noir-inspired streaming series ‘The Lowdown.’ He tells Terry Gross while playing Hart pushed him to the edge of his ability, he totally related to h…

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The High Pressure Experiments That Made D-Day 45:05

24d ago45:05

45:05

What happens to the body in the deep sea? You need oxygen to survive, but too much oxygen can be deadly. If you rise to the surface too quickly, nitrogen bubbles can form in your body and kill you. Terry Gross spoke with author and scientist Rachel Lance last year about her research for the military. She used a hyperbaric chamber that mimics what d…

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Ethan Hawke On The Role That Pushed Him To His Limit 44:11

25d ago44:11

44:11

"Every now and then you bump up against a part that presses you to the wall of your ability," Hawke says of playing lyricist Lorenz Hart in ‘Blue Moon.’ Hawke spoke with Terry Gross about collaborating with Richard Linklater, 'The Lowdown,' and his thoughts on aging. Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter…

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Who Is Laura Loomer, Trump's 'Loyalty Enforcer'? 45:59

26d ago45:59

45:59

'New Yorker’ staff writer Antonia Hitchens describes how Laura Loomer went from a conspiracy theorist to a close ally of Trump who’s gotten government officials she claims are disloyal to the president fired. Hitchens has a new profile of Loomer in the magazine. Also, David Bianculli reviews Ken Burns’ new six-part PBS docuseries on the American Re…

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Nutrition, SNAP & Why We Need A Food Revolution 45:33

27d ago45:33

45:33

Food policy expert and nutritionist Marion Nestle's 2006 book, ‘What to Eat,’ became a consumer bible of sorts when it came out, guiding readers through the supermarket while exposing how industry marketing and policy steer our food choices. Now, two decades later, she's back with ‘What to Eat Now,’ a revised field guide for the supermarket of 2025…

1
Tim Robbins Believes In The Power Of Theater 45:39

28d ago45:39

45:39

The Oscar-winning actor/director has a new play, “Topsy Turvy,” about a chorus that loses its ability to sing together after COVID isolation."Things that I had held sacred or had held as truths were challenged," Robbins says of the pandemic. He talks with Tonya Mosley about ‘Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘Dead Man Walking,’ and how working with Robert Alt…

Marion Roach Smith Podcasts

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QWERTY: A Podcast for Writers on How to Live the Writing Life

Marion Roach Smith

1
Fresh Air

NPR

1
Best Of: George Clooney / Costume Designer Paul Tazewell 48:47

1
Remembering Steve Cropper / Playwright Tom Stoppard 46:50

1
Ep. 155 Matthew White 30:54

1
George Clooney 45:03

1
Was The U.S. Attack On A Venezuelan Boat A War Crime? 46:51

1
War Photographer Lynsey Addario Still Has Hope 46:53

1
‘Wicked’ Costume Designer Paul Tazewell 44:39

1
Best Of: Nutritionist Marion Nestle / Science Writer Mary Roach 48:49

51
Grand Ole Opry At 100: Earl Scruggs & Loretta Lynn 46:50

1
‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ From Flop To Hit 46:11

1
Michael Shannon Gets A Turn Playing Good Guys 45:46

1
A Manual For Keeping A Democracy 44:43

1
Brendan Fraser Has Everything & Nothing To Prove 45:00

1
Best Of: Ben Stiller / Cynthia Erivo 48:11

1
A Look Back At Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ 46:51

1
Ep. 154 Winnie Li 25:26

101
A Sleep Scientist Excavates The World Of Dreams 44:40

101
How Kash Patel Is Changing The FBI’s Mission 44:30

1
Ben Stiller On His Parents’ Showbiz Marriage 45:21

1
Cynthia Erivo's Road To 'Wicked' 45:52

1
Best Of: Ethan Hawke / Tim Robbins 48:38

1
The High Pressure Experiments That Made D-Day 45:05

1
Ethan Hawke On The Role That Pushed Him To His Limit 44:11

1
Who Is Laura Loomer, Trump's 'Loyalty Enforcer'? 45:59

1
Nutrition, SNAP & Why We Need A Food Revolution 45:33

1
Tim Robbins Believes In The Power Of Theater 45:39