Monologist, actor and writer Spalding Gray. His newest work is "Morning, Noon, and Night" (Fararr, Straus, and Giroux) about being a father and raising a family. Gray's monologues include, "Monster in a Box" about all the distractions that prevented him from completing his novel, "Impossible Vacation," and "Swimming to Cambodia" about filming a movie in Cambodia. His monologue and book "Gray's Anatomy" was about his eye problems, and his adventures in the mainstream and alternative health care industries.
Executive producer, James Redford, of the new HBO documentary, "The Kindness of Strangers." The film tells the story of four organ transplant patients, and the donors and their families.. It premieres on HBO Sept 23rd. Redford, himself, underwent two liver transplants. He's also the son of actor Robert Redford. And he founded The James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness in Los Angeles (www.jrifilms.org) (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES THRU THE END OF THE SHOW).
An interview with composer Philip Glass by his cousin Ira Glass, the host of "This American Life." The conversation was recorded on-stage in Chicago earlier this month.
TV critic David Bianculli previews the new TV season that starts this week. Bianculli recommends Action, Once and Again, The West Wing, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Angel.
Scientist Jane Goodall. She's devoted her life to studying the lives of chimpanzees in the wild. Her new book is "Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey" (Warner Books) about her beliefs in science and faith. There's also a companion PBS special which airs nationwide on October 27th. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).
The creator of the Web, Tim Berners-Lee. The World Wide Web has been compared to Bell's telephone and Marconi's radio in it's revolutionary impact on the world. Berners-Lee has long maintained that the Web is for the common good, despite efforts by others to make it otherwise. His new book is "Weaving the Web The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by Its Inventor." Berners-Lee is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium which coordinates Web development. (Harpers)
An interview with TV producer David E. Kelly held before an audience at the Writers' Guild Foundation conference in L.A. in June. Kelly created the TV shows "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice" which were both big winners at Sunday's Emmy awards. The interviewer is Brian Lowry, who covers the television industry for the L.A. Times. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).
Science writer James Gleick ("GLICK"). His new book "Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything" (Pantheon) is about the accelerating pace of modern life. He writes about how technology has created the feeling that life moves too fast, but that we have become "addicted" to the pace and might as well learn to enjoy it.
Writer Philippe Wamba ("Phil-EEP WAM-bah"). He is the son of an African father and a African-American mother. His new book looks at the affinity between African-Americans and Africans, the things that divide them, and they myths they each hold about the other. It's called "Kinship: A Family's Journey in Africa and America" (Dutton). Wamba has lived in both countries. His father, Prof. Ernest Wamba dia Wamba, is currently leader of the rebel faction in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Composer and jazz pianist Uri Caine (ER-ee CANE). He's fronted and/or played with a number of groups. On his first two CDS as he a leader, "Sphere Music" and "Toys" he played homage to jazz pianists Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock. He's worked in groups led by Don Byron, Dave Douglas, Buddy DeFranco, Clark Terry and others. His latest release is "The Sidewalks of New York" which plays homage to turn of the century New York city and the songwriters of tin pan alley. (Winter & Winter label).
New York Times reporter Douglas Frantz and his wife, journalist Catherine Collins. They've collaborated on a new book about their two years living in Celebration, the city Disney built from scratch in Florida. Their book is "Celebration U.S.A.: Living in Disney's Brave New Town" (Henry Holt & Co.)
Bob Zmuda ("ZMOO-da")is the co-executive producer of the new film "Man on the Moon" about the late comic Andy Kaufman. Zmuda was also Kaufman's writer, co-conspirator, and close friend. In the 1970s Kaufman was best known for his portrayal of the sweet-natured foreign-born Latka on the TV sitcom "Taxi." On stage he took on mind-bending personas like an obnoxious master of ceremonies, or a wrestler who fought women and challenged them on stage, or an Elvis impersonator. Often he left his audience perplexed as to whether or not he was for real.
Pop music critic Ken Tucker reviews two new CDs by artists on the outskirts of country music: "Onward Thru it All" by Jim Lauderdale and "Broken Things" by Julie Miller. Both releases feature work by guitarist, singer and songwriter Buddy Miller.
