Fresh Air with Terry Gross: Just For Laughs

by Terry Gross

Terry Gross brings out the best in the greatest minds on the planet-including the funny ones. Drawn from her long-running, award-winning public radio show, this new collection features in-depth interviews with the bright, shining wits of our time. One of the nation's leading interviewers, Gross is incisive, respectful, and always well-informed. She puts her guests at ease, which makes for rewarding listening. Insights abound and the humor is unstoppable.

Genres: Humor, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Comedy

4 pages, Audio CD

First published September 1, 2010

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

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book, so this was as if I was listening to the NPR podcast. Only difference was several interviews of the comedians are grouped together. Terry Gross is a superb interviewer and asks the best questions and her back up questions are even better. Terry does not back down on the questions and asked Woody Allen a couple of hard ones.

[Doris Lancaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terry Gross is the Empress of interviewing. She selected of interviews with comedians. As usual the cuts to the core of the interviewee with sharp questions that are respectful and insightful. Get a copy to listen to as the clips of the comedians.

[Tarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little blurbs. Like the reader's digest version. Not really enough to be juicy but enough to laugh. The ending was abrupt!

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of interviews that are interesting, but too short to provide breadth or depth.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun listen, although I didn't realize how old it was. I think my favorite interview was Joan Rivers, she talked about working out her show on stage throughout her career.

[Carol Mc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, but not really what I would consider a book.

[Scott Butki · Rating 4 out of 5]

started listening to this and am loving it. Terry Gross is one of my favorite interviewers and to hear her interviewing Mike Judge, the South Park guys and even people I'm not normally fans of like Sarah Silverman and Will Farrell - my mood improved just hearing it and I had several needed laugh out loud moments.

[Carol Linn Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to rate cause it wasn't really a book. I can't imagine what this would have been like to actually read opposed to listen to because it's just a bunch of interviews with comedians. I loved it in that aspect, it made for a great listen and had me laughing out loud numerous times and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick audio read. Good, but just too short. Terry Gross is an excellent interviewer. She did not shy away from difficult questions, especially with Tracy Morgan and Woody Allen. I'd like to hear the full interview of these and other comedians. Interviewees range from Tracy Morgan and Tina Fey to Mort Sahl and Woody Allen. Maybe time for another one, Terry Gross?

[Bayneeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but mostly I felt the snippets were interesting but just too short. In many cases I'd like to hear the full interview. Interviewees range from Tracy Morgan and Sarah Silverman to Mort Sahl and Woody Allen.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining and informative collection of interviews of primarily comedians by the NPR show Fresh Air, helmed most by Terry Gross, that fans of comedy will much enjoy. The only downside is that each clip should have been at least an hour long. Some great anecdotes and insights.

[orangerful · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of excerpts from Terry Gross' interviews with some very funny people.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to it as a book on CD. I don't imagine it would be as entertaining in written form.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint is I want more! I LOVED each and every interview and didn't want it to end!

[Sgilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice CD to listen to in the car. Terry Gross is a terrific interviewer.

[Betsyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually guffawed during a couple of interviews...

[pati · Rating 4 out of 5]

interestingly enough, this book is just the interviews of various comedians as they where were recorded on NPR. No set up or finale, good listening in the end

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

listening via audio book and loving it! Snippets from interviews with Terry Gross and various comedians

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable listening to Terry Gross interview interesting comedians.

[Myki]

Audiobook