Fresh Air - NPR

As the host of the PBS TV series 'Finding Your Roots,' Gates tells celebrities about their family history. Terry Gross asked Gates about his own roots, and some of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing. Also, journalist Brian Palmer has written recently about taxpayer funding for confederate monuments, and groups that portray the confederate cause as noble and slavery as a benign institution. His article for 'Smithsonian Magazine' is called 'The Costs of the Confederacy.'

Richard Nixon's first vice president, Spiro Agnew, resigned in 1973 amidst charges of bribery and tax evasion. Now, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and producer Mike Yarvitz revisit the Agnew scandal in the hit podcast 'Bag Man.' "The parallels with what was going on in the Nixon and Agnew administration 45 years ago to the efforts by the Trump administration right now ... is uncanny," Maddow says. Justin Chang reviews 'Glass,' a film by M. Night Shyamalan. By his own count, John C. Reilly has acted in almost 80 movies, including 'Boogie Nights,' 'Chicago,' 'Talladega Nights' and 'Walk Hard.' Now, he's co-starring with Steve Coogan as half of the iconic comedy duo Laurel and Hardy in 'Stan & Ollie.' Reilly talks about the extreme prosthetic makeup and bodysuit he wore for the role, physical comedy, and bonding with Joaquin Phoenix while filming 'The Sisters Brothers.'

Growing up in rural Idaho, Tara Westover had no birth certificate, never saw a doctor and didn't go to school. Her deeply religious parents stockpiled food and weapons for a government invasion or the end of the world. In her memoir, 'Educated,' Westover writes about how she defied her parents, and made her way to college and graduate school. Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Glass' directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Journalist Jon Ward talks about the chaos that led Ted Kennedy to challenge Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination in 1980 — and the long-lasting damage it did to the party. Ward's new book is 'Camelot's End.' Also, critic John Powers reviews 'Brexit,' an HBO movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

For many years, U.S. immigration favored immigrants from ​​northern Europe. NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten explains how a 1965 law changed things — and led to the current debate about border security. His book is 'A Nation of Nations.' Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews two new interpretations of Thelonious Monk's complete works.