Fresh Air with Terry Gross, July 8, 2016: Interview with Jim Gaffigan; Review of film Life, Animated; interview (obit) with Elie Weisel; Review of TV show The Night Of

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.) Comic JIM GAFFIGAN. He is the co-creator and star of the TV Land show The Jim Gaffigan Show, playing a version of himself, who is uncomfortable being outed as a Catholic. He also plays a standup comic and married father of five children, like himself. The show is currently in it's second season. (REBROADCAST from 9.24.15)(2.) Film critic DAVID EDELSTEIN reviews Life, Animated.(3.) We remember Auschwitz survivor, Nobel Peace prize winner, and writer ELIE WEISEL. He died last Saturday at the age of 87. He first came to attention with his memoir Night about the horrors he witnessed in the camps as a teenage boy. After that he wrote novels, essays, and plays, and became known for his moral voice, and haunting prose. Weisel won the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize for his message of "peace and atonement and human dignity." (REBROADCAST from 6.8.88)(4.) TV critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews The Night Of, a new limited series on HBO about police, crime and the criminal justice system. It's co-created by Richard Price.