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Can't sleep? Journalist Jennifer Senior says you're not alone in your insomnia
by Terry Gross
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jennifer Senior has had insomnia for 25 years. Her new piece in The Atlantic is about her often futile attempts to fall asleep, and about the latest research into insomnia.
Elvis' Guitarist James Burton: 'I Went Professional When I Was 14'
by Terry Gross
Burton played in Ricky Nelson's band, and has been on hundreds of recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. You can hear him on the new box set, Elvis: Live 1969.
Chuck Cleaver Gets Wonderfully Expressive On His First Solo Album
by Ken Tucker
Cleaver, one of the leaders of Wussy, sings about joy, pain, sorrow and regret on Send Aid. The resulting album stands with the best of anything Cleaver has ever done.
Return To Middle School In 'PEN15': Creators Say 'It's All About Survival'
by Terry Gross
Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle are nominated for an Emmy for their writing on PEN15, a Hulu comedy series in which they play 13-year-old versions of themselves. Originally broadcast May 6, 2019.
Don't Be Fooled By The Talking Horse — 'BoJack' Is A Sadness 'Sneak Attack'
by Terry Gross
BoJack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg says part of the pitch for the Emmy-nominated animated show was, "What's Mister Ed like behind the scenes?" Originally broadcast Oct. 17, 2018.
Satirist Randy Rainbow Uses Show Tunes And Pop Songs To Lampoon Trump
by Terry Gross
The Emmy-nominated lyricist/performer used to consider song parody cheap humor: "But ... I've gotten [such a] response ... that I'm appreciating it as an art form." Originally broadcast July 17, 2019.
Billy Eichner Makes A Career Out Of Love/Hating Celebrity Culture
by Terry Gross
In his Emmy-nominated series Billy on the Street, Eichner roams the sidewalks of Manhattan, asking strangers open-ended questions about the entertainment industry. Originally broadcast Dec. 12, 2016.
Natasha Lyonne On Being A 'Tough Guy' And Finding Herself Inside 'Russian Doll'
by Terry Gross
Lyonne is up for an Emmy for her role as a woman who keeps dying and coming back to life on Russian Doll. It's a premise that she finds particularly resonant. Originally published March 27, 2019.
'Dead To Me' Star Christina Applegate: Loss 'Lives In The Fibers Of Your Being'
by Terry Gross
Applegate is nominated for an Emmy for her role as a woman mourning the sudden death of her husband in the Netflix series Dead to Me. Originally broadcast June 5, 2019.
No Longer Omar: Actor Michael K. Williams On Lucky Breaks And Letting Go
by Terry Gross
Nominated for an Emmy for his work in When They See Us, Williams made a name for himself playing memorable characters in shows like The Wire and The Night Of. Originally broadcast July 25, 2016.
Ava DuVernay Focuses On The Central Park 5's Perspective: 'Now People Know'
by Terry Gross
DuVernay's When They See Us, which is up for 16 Emmys, chronicles five black and brown teenagers who were manipulated into falsely confessing to a brutal rape. Originally broadcast June 19, 2019.
John Mulaney On Hosting 'SNL': 'I Had No Idea How Hard This Was'
by Terry Gross
Mulaney spent five years as a writer and producer on SNL, but was "absolutely terrified" when he came back to host. Now he's up for an Emmy for hosting SNL. Originally broadcast March 26, 2019.