Elizabeth Blair
Elizabeth Blair is a Peabody Award-winning senior producer/reporter on the Arts Desk of NPR News.
Blair produces, edits, and reports arts and cultural segments for NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. In this position, she has reported on a range of topics from arts funding to the MeToo movement. She has profiled renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Mikhail Baryshnikov, explored how old women are represented in fairy tales, and reported the origins of the children's classic Curious George. Among her all-time favorite interviews are actors Octavia Spencer and Andy Serkis, comedians Bill Burr and Hari Kondabolu, the rapper K'Naan, and Cookie Monster (in character).
Blair has overseen several, large-scale series including The NPR 100, which explored landmark musical works of the 20th Century, and In Character, which probed the origins of iconic American fictional characters. Along with her colleagues on the Arts Desk and at NPR Music, Blair curated American Anthem, a major series exploring the origins of songs that uplift, rouse, and unite people around a common theme.
Blair's work has received several honors, including two Peabody Awards and a Gracie. She previously lived in Paris, France, where she co-produced Le Jazz Club From Paris with Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the monthly magazine Postcard From Paris.
-
From SNL's Coneheads to Killer Bees, Broadway's Sweeney Todd and Candide, we remember Tony Award-winning costume designer Franne Lee who died on Aug. 27. -
Thomas Dambo's gigantic trolls made out of recycled wood are turning up throughout the Pacific Northwest after making appearances all over the world.(Story aired on Morning Edition on May 16, 2021.)
-
Justin Bieber and K-pop star PSY are some of the artists associated with entertainment mogul Scooter Braun. But it appears Braun is losing some major talent — including Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.
-
Pixar's new movie "Elemental" is directed and co-written by Peter Sohn. It is partly an homage to his childhood growing up in a Korean family in the Bronx.
-
In science class, Sohn saw the periodic table as an apartment building. The son of Korean immigrants, he felt the elements were a "beautiful metaphor" for cultures mixing in his New York hometown.
-
The Addams Family, Clue and Frozen JR were among the most popular shows, according to a new survey. But the report also showed that drama teachers are nervous about censorship.
-
George Michael Todd — a generous, "gentle giant" — died of sudden cardiac death. He served in Afghanistan and returned home with PTSD. In 2017 he released an album called Combat Medicine.
-
Tiger Lily's character is based on racist stereotypes, and has inspired many offensive depictions over the years. Now, Cree actor Alyssa Wapanatâhk takes on the role in the Disney+ Peter Pan & Wendy.
-
Artist and activist Harry Belafonte has died. Throughout his life, Belafonte used his stature to speak out for human rights.
-
Author Carole Lindstrom follows Caldecott-winning We Are Water Protectors with another children's book featuring Native culture. She says she hopes it helps kids "see themselves in a positive way."
