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Fresh Air Weekend: Arsenio Hall; 'Roastmaster' comic Jeff Ross

Arsenio Hall speaks onstage during the Emmy Awards on Jan. 15, 2024.
Kevin Winter
/
Getty Images North America
Arsenio Hall speaks onstage during the Emmy Awards on Jan. 15, 2024.

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, as well as new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and it often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

Even when Arsenio Hall's show was a hit, "everyone wanted it to be something else": Hall's late-night show gave hip-hop a home on TV and helped propel Bill Clinton to the White House. "I wanted to do this show that didn't exist when I was a kid," he says. Hall's memoir is Arsenio.

Now cancer-free, "Roastmaster" comic Jeff Ross still finds humor in loss: Known for his ruthless celebrity roasts, Ross turns inward in his Netflix special, Take a Banana for the Ride, which details the loss of his parents and grandfather.

You can listen to the original interviews here:

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