Fresh Air

Delroy Lindo stars as Delta Slim, a gifted and haunted blues musician, in ‘Sinners.’ It's a performance that has earned Lindo his first Academy Award nomination. He wants to win, but he says he won't let it define him either way. “I have never taken my marbles and gone home as a result of whatever disappointments, the vicissitudes of the industry.”

Also, we hear from novelist Tayari Jones. Her new book ‘Kin’ is a story of two motherless girls in 1950s Louisiana who became each other’s chosen family. The idea for the book came from her own experience of losing a friend. “When you're friends with someone, you know your name will not be listed in any obituary. But it breaks your heart to lose your friends,” she tells Tonya Mosley. 

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Benicio del Toro is nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘One Battle After Another,’ where he plays a karate sensei who runs what he calls a "Latino Harriet Tubman" operation. He was also in Wes Anderson’s latest film, ‘The Phoenician Scheme.’ He spoke with Tonya Mosley last year.

David Bianculli reviews ‘Scarpetta,’ the new Prime Video series starring Nicole Kidman, based on a series of books by Patricia Cornwell, and John Powers reviews the new Netflix series ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast,’ by the creator of ‘Derry Girls.’ 

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As part of his investigation into sports betting, Atlantic journalist McKay Coppins gambled $10,000 during last NFL season. He spoke with co-host Tonya Mosley about his experiment, what he learned, and what the explosion of betting is doing to society. “It’s turning all of American life into a Las Vegas table game. There’s always this kind of glittering mirage of profit that you’re chasing, when, in reality, it’s designed to sort of demoralize and crush every regular person who plays.” They also talk about how betting has expanded to politics and international conflict. 

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After playing some of the most recognizable and beloved characters in cinematic history, Harrison Ford is not interested in retiring. "I really do love the work,” he tells Terry Gross. “It constantly changes, and the people change, and the mission and the opportunity change, and it just makes for an interesting way to live your life." The 83 year-old looks back on his big break with ‘Star Wars,’ the challenges of playing a therapist in the Apple TV series ‘Shrinking’ and the infamous 2015 plane crash. 

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As a culture critic, Lemieux has spent years pushing back against the stereotypes and stigma that follow single mothers. Her new book blends her own memoir with the stories of 21 other Black women. 

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews ‘American Classic.’ 

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