Clockwise from left: Brad Mehldau, Maryam Keshavarz, Samantha Irby, Lauren Fleshman, Ke Huy Quan and Christian Cooper.
Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR; Fred Hayes/Getty Photographs for SAGindie; Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random Home; Ryan Warner/Oiselle; A24; Matt Licari/Invision/AP
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Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR; Fred Hayes/Getty Photographs for SAGindie; Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random Home; Ryan Warner/Oiselle; A24; Matt Licari/Invision/AP
Clockwise from left: Brad Mehldau, Maryam Keshavarz, Samantha Irby, Lauren Fleshman, Ke Huy Quan and Christian Cooper.
Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR; Fred Hayes/Getty Photographs for SAGindie; Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random Home; Ryan Warner/Oiselle; A24; Matt Licari/Invision/AP
We discuss with practically 200 friends on Contemporary Air annually and lots of of these interviews follow us, lengthy after broadcast. We requested our workers to share their favourite 2023 conversations — yow will discover their suggestions under.
(For extra workers picks, gems from the archive, and sneak peeks at upcoming reveals, join the weekly Contemporary Air publication.)
Central Park birder Christian Cooper on being ‘a Black man within the pure world’
Hear the interview: Christian Cooper was birdwatching in Central Park in 2020 when a white lady falsely accused him of threatening her.
Matt Licari/Invision/AP
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Matt Licari/Invision/AP
“Cooper’s story is such a superb reminder to assume earlier than reacting to strangers. I additionally love how he talks about rising up as a homosexual, Black, chicken watching, comedian e-book nerd. By embracing his weirdness, he now has a really cool life as a homosexual activist, one in every of Marvel Comics’ first overtly homosexual writers, and the host of a Nationwide Geographic chicken watching present.” — Therese Madden, producer
Samantha Irby shares her ‘Quietly Hostile’ survival information (of types)
Hear the interview: Humorist Samantha Irby is just not afraid to inform you about her psychological well being struggles or the “glamorous hoarding” in her home.
Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random Home
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Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random Home
“An actual spotlight this yr was how onerous I laughed at my desk listening to humorist Samantha Irby report with Tonya. Irby has made a profession out of speaking and writing about taboo or darker matters (OCD, Crohns, lifeless mother and father, being fats, and so forth.). Her melodic Midwest cadence and goofy use of phrases at all times will get me good. For instance, she referred to recording her personal audiobook as ‘honked by me.’ ” — Molly Seavy-Nesper, digital producer
Runner Lauren Fleshman needs to make sports activities extra welcoming to girls
Hear the interview: Lauren Fleshman’s memoir, Good for a Lady, critiques how the sports activities world treats feminine athletes.
Ryan Warner/Oiselle
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Ryan Warner/Oiselle
“Terry’s interview with former champion distance runner Lauren Fleshman was a kind of conversations I discovered myself referring again to – and recommending – lengthy after it aired. As a school athlete, Fleshman watched as a stunning variety of her feminine teammates left the game early. Many who stayed developed consuming problems or different bodily or psychological well being issues. Fleshman says that is as a result of too many coaches assume — falsely — that what works for male our bodies additionally advantages feminine our bodies. She’s now an activist, working to advertise fairness within the sport.” — Bridget Bentz, NPR digital producer
Ke Huy Quan discovered the function he’d been lacking in ‘Every thing In all places’
Hear the interview: Ke Huy Quan performs Waymond, the meta-verse touring husband in Every thing In all places All at As soon as.
A24
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A24
“Is it flawed to spotlight a few of my very own interviews? I began the yr with an incredible discuss with Ke Huy Quan. Bear in mind when he was the hit of the Oscars? That was this yr. Different favourite moments embrace when Brett Goldstein advised me to “Shut up!” and when Greta Lee talked to me about her mother’s response to her movie Previous Lives.” — Ann Marie Baldonado, director of expertise growth/interview contributor
Pianist Jason Moran reaches for ‘the drama, the comedy and the tragedy’ of music
Hear the interview: Jason Moran talks jazz and performs choices from his newest recording.
Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR
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Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR
“I am a sucker for musicians on the piano, so I beloved enhancing the Jason Moran interview. Terry’s musical information runs deep, they usually each gentle up on this dialog. Moran’s newest album is a tribute to James Reese Europe, the composer and musician who led The Harlem Hellfighters regiment band throughout World Conflict I. Moran took one in every of Europe’s songs, and did his personal model on the piano for Terry. It is referred to as “All of No Man’s Land Is Ours.” It broke my coronary heart. It is spare, unhappy, and romantic – the very best sort of love tune.” — Thea Chaloner, producer
You’ll be able to hearken to Thea’s favourite clip from Jason Moran’s interview right here.
Media critic Brian Stelter on what’s subsequent for Fox Information
Hear the interview: Brian Stelter describes behind-the-scenes turmoil at Fox Information following the 2020 election.
Jeremy Freeman/CNN/Simon & Schuster
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Jeremy Freeman/CNN/Simon & Schuster
“Terry’s interview with media critic Brian Stelter is price a pay attention for those who missed it. You could assume you have heard as a lot as you want about Fox Information and the Trump world, however Stelter has some superb nuggets in his e-book Community of Lies, together with the completely jaw-dropping story about how conspiracy theories involving Dominion Voting Methods first appeared on Fox Information.” — Dave Davies, interview contributor
Filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz finds inspiration in her mom
Hear the interview: Maryam Keshavarz was banned from returning to Iran in 2011 after the discharge of her first function, Circumstance.
Fred Hayes/Getty Photographs for SAGindie
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Fred Hayes/Getty Photographs for SAGindie
“I need to suggest Terry’s interview with filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz. Her movie The Persian Model is impressed by her mom, who grew up in Iran, entered into an organized marriage at age 13, and went on to develop into a profitable businesswoman. Keshavarz is vigorous, compelling and current. When you missed it, return to pay attention now!” — Seth Kelley, producer
Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau shares his love of The Beatles
Hear the interview: Brad Mehldau sits down on the piano, for music and dialog.
Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR
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Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photographs for OGR
“Sam Briger interviewed Brad Mehldau on the piano, so you’ll be able to hear his extremely stunning method, and his preparations of Beatles songs, like “Blackbird.” It is fantastic to listen to an completed artist reinterpret the work of one other nice artist, creating one thing new and sudden.” — Audrey Bentham, technical director
Contemporary Air‘s historical past of hip-hop sequence
“Within the fall, we did a complete week of reveals to rejoice the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop. We performed again interviews with rappers, producers, DJs, and lots of different pioneers of the style. Once we do a sequence like that one, it actually illustrates how expansive the archive is. It is also enjoyable when we now have musical friends on the present, and also you get to listen to them talk about their craft and motivation whereas listening to their music (not concurrently, however you get it).” — Susan Nyakundi, affiliate producer
The Contemporary Air Archives and Contemporary Air+
“Terry talked to Ann Marie Baldonado in regards to the nationwide debut of Contemporary Air on Contemporary Air+. I listened to all the first week of reveals in Might 1987 to provide the episode, and there have been some gems. It is so enjoyable to listen to Terry replicate on how the present has modified within the final 37 years because it debuted on NPR stations nationwide. I do know recommending a Contemporary Air+ bonus episode means not everyone might need heard this dialog, however they undoubtedly ought to.” — Nick Andersen, archives producer
