Fresh Air with Terry Gross, September 24, 2004: Interview with Pete Rose; Interview with Bernie Mac; Review of the film 'Shaun of the dead.'

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR.
(1.) Baseball legend PETE ROSE. He is the all-time hits leader with 4,256 hits. He played in over 500 games at five different positions. But he was banned from baseball thirteen years ago when he was accused of gambling on the game. He spent five months in prison for tax charges. In his book 'Peter Rose: My Prison Without Bars' (w/ Rick Hill – published by Rodale) ROSE admits – for the first time – that he gambled on baseball. ROSE still hopes – and so do many of his supporters – that one day he will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. There is a new TV movie about the fall of Pete Rose, premiering this weekend on ESPN, called 'Hustle.' (Original airdate: 1/28/04.) (2.) Actor and comedian BERNIE MAC. His new film is 'Mr.3000.' It's about an aging baseball star who returns to the diamond. He's the star of 'The Bernie Mac Show,' a sitcom on Fox. He's also had roles in the film 'Bad Santa,' 'Ocean's Eleven,' 'Booty Call' and 'Mo' Money.' Mac has been a stand up comedian for many years. He's had HBO specials and was featured in the Spike Lee film 'Kings of Comedy.' (Original airdate: 11/27/01) (3.) Film critic DAVID EDELSTEIN reviews 'Shaun of the Dead,' an English comedy about zombies.