Terry Gross

Episode notes

On the last episode of The Turnaround, Jesse talks to his all-time interviewing hero Terry Gross! For more than 30 years Terry’s hosted Fresh Air from WHYY in Philadelphia, conducting some of the most insightful, fascinating conversations you’ll likely ever hear.

Being a radio interviewer came somewhat naturally to Terry. She tells Jesse she prefers the medium to television, where you’re expected to look or dress a certain kind of way, and where you can’t just disappear behind a microphone. She also goes into the nuts and bolts of how Fresh Air gets made, and why doing a recorded show allows her take risks that often make for wonderful, unexpected moments. They also talk about a not-so-wonderful moment: that infamous 2002 interview with Gene Simmons.

Be sure to check out Terry’s amazing interviews on Fresh Air’s online archives.

The Turnaround is a production of Maximum Fun in partnership with the Columbia Journalism Review. Visit their website to learn more about their “mission to encourage excellence in journalism in the service of a free society,” and to read edited transcripts of our other Turnaround episodes.

Hosted and created by Jesse Thorn
Produced by Kara Hart and Nick Liao
Senior Producer: Laura Swisher
Managing Director: Bikram Chatterji

Music for The Turnaround provided by Mobius Van ChocStraw.

Special thanks to Kyle Pope and his team at CJR, Darrel Frost, and Emilie Erskine.