A Darkly Satirical Teen Comedy Invigorates the Genre

Journalist Dennis King has a new book about the infamous politician, whom King describes as an extreme, right-wing fascist. LaRouche, once a self-identified socialist, employed cult-like tactics to move his left-wing followers toward anti-Semetic ideologies, and was able to exert significant influence on both major political parties.

Rock critic Ken Tucker appreciates Madonna's provocative public persona; she's used her irresistible music to create videos and commercials that make controversial use of religious iconography. But her new album can't fully match her image; Tucker says there are too many ballads and not enough pop hooks.

Playwright and novelist Ntzoake Shange, best known for her play For Colored Girls, joins Fresh Air to talk about the diversity of the black experience, her childhood and early education, and the criticism she sometimes gets from black male authors and playwrights. Her new play is called Betsey Brown.