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Julio Torres spins immigrant stress into satire Apr 03, 2026

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As a gay, atheist teenager in El Salvador, Julio Torres felt like an alien. He was legally labeled “alien” when he came to the U.S. on a student visa, and then tried to get a work visa. The comic/filmmaker drew on those experiences to write, direct, and star in the satirical film, ‘Problemista.’ He spoke with Terry Gross in 2024 about immigrant stress, his odd form of comedy, and why he's attracted to difficult people. “I don't see difficult people as nightmares to escape. I'm really drawn to them like a moth to a flame,” he says. His new comedy special on HBO is called ‘Color Theories.’
Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘The Drama.’
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John Lithgow Apr 02, 2026

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Lithgow, 80, plays an intelligence agent in the FX action series 'The Old Man,' and he's currently starring in the Broadway production of 'Giant,' about a dark side of children's book author Roald Dahl. He spoke with Dave Davies.
Also, John Powers reviews 'Stay Alive' by Ian Buruma, about daily life in Nazi Berlin.
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An exposé of the plastic industry Apr 01, 2026

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In award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner’s new book, ‘Plastic Inc.,’ she traces how plastic went from a wartime miracle to the survival strategy of the fossil fuel industry. What Gardiner found after years of reporting is that while millions of us were recycling and using less fuel, the companies that make plastic are producing more to make up for it. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about recycling, microplastics in the human body, and the environmental impact.
Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album from Megan Moroney, ‘Cloud 9.’
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Inside the training camps for “alpha males” Mar 31, 2026

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The Trump era has brought a resurgence of the “alpha male.” ‘New Yorker’ writer Charles Bethea reports on camps where men crawl through mud and sit in ice baths, in an effort to reclaim masculinity. Bethea says what he found underneath all the warrior posturing surprised him: men in genuine pain who felt lonely and desperate for connection. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about his reporting.
Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the new novel by Tana French, ‘The Keeper.’
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Former Infowars employee on Alex Jones' conspiracy machine Mar 30, 2026

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Josh Owens spent four years as a video editor and field producer for Jones' Infowars media company. "It was all about making things look cinematic," he says. Owens' memoir is ‘The Madness of Believing.’ He spoke with Dave Davies about how he got into Infowars, the “nonsense” and “lies” the company sold, and how he got out.
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Best Of: Jill Scott / Riz Ahmed Mar 28, 2026

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R&B artist Jill Scott shares some of the lessons she learned from the legends who came before her, including the moment she first met Aretha Franklin. Scott’s new album is ‘To Whom This May Concern.’
Also, actor Riz Ahmed talks about his Prime Video series, ‘Bait.’ He plays a British Pakistani actor auditioning to be the next James Bond. He talks about drawing from moments in his own life, battling self-criticism and chasing acceptance.
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Remembering Action Hero Chuck Norris Mar 27, 2026

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We remember martial arts champion turned Hollywood action hero Chuck Norris, who died last week at age 86. In addition to his many kung fu and action films, he was the star of the long-running TV show, ‘Walker, Texas Ranger.’ He spoke with Terry Gross in 1988 about the karate he learned while stationed in Korea.
Also, we remember Tex-Mex musician Augie Meyers of the Texas Tornadoes, who died March 7 at age 85. His signature sound was created on the vox organ, an instrument made in Britain. When he went to England in the ‘60s he got a call at his hotel. “George Harrison and John Lennon called the hotel and wanted me to come to the studio because they wanted to see how they had a vox organ but they couldn't get the sound I had out of mine,” he told Terry Gross in 1990.
Justin Chang reviews the film ‘Miroirs No. 3’ and David Bianculli reviews ‘Marshals’ and ‘The Madison.’
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America's first AI-fueled war is unfolding. How'd we get here? Mar 26, 2026

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‘Project Maven’ is the story of how the U.S. spent a decade building an AI warfare system that's now being used in the war in Iran. Author and Bloomberg journalist Katrina Manson reveals the people behind that mission, and their belief that AI could make war more precise and save lives. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about the ethics of this technology. A troubling research study found AI models placed in simulated nuclear crisis scenarios chose the nuclear option 95% of the time. Also, Carolina Miranda reviews a Los Angeles art installation that harkens to the old days of cinema.
Also, Carolina Miranda reviews a Los Angeles art installation that harkens to the old days of cinema.
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Bryan Stevenson says facing our racist past is a path, not punishment Mar 25, 2026

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In his second term, President Trump has ordered the removal of monuments, plaques and exhibitions related to slavery, and the history of racial injustice in the U.S. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson has been working to ensure evidence of America's painful past is not erased. His organization, the Equal Justice Initiative, founded the Legacy Museum to show us the truth of our history. “You can't get the beautiful ‘R’ words, like redemption and reconciliation and restoration and repair, unless you first tell the truth,” he tells Terry Gross.
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Will President Trump act on his threat to take Cuba? Mar 24, 2026

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New Yorker writer Jon Lee Anderson describes conditions in Cuba, why it's vulnerable now — and what regime change would mean — considering the Castro family's entrenchment in the Cuban government.
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