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.
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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.)
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A $4 thrift store purchase that turned out to be a rare painting by American artist N.C. Wyeth sold Tuesday for nearly $200K. -
When security told Juan Lastra to sit down, Adele told them to leave him alone. The incident sparked a debate about concert etiquette. Stand when others are sitting? Tell a fan to sit down? -
A fan at an Adele concert stood, sang and filmed himself during her show, even though many of the people in his section were seated. A security guard — and Adele herself — got involved.
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For Smithsonian Folkways' 75th anniversary, Cass McCombs and preschool teacher Greg Gardner wrote a collection of new folk songs for children. One of them is a tribute to gay activist Harvey Milk. -
Entertainment mogul Scooter Braun discovered Justin Bieber and has managed the careers of Ariana Grande and K-pop star Psy. Now some of his biggest stars are reportedly parting ways with him. -
In what's being called the "Barbie boost," people are going out to the movies again. But can brick & mortar theatres sustain that momentum against the pressures of the Hollywood strikes?
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Going to the movies is hot again thanks to the so-called "Barbie boost." Barbie, Oppenheimer and other movies continue to rev up the summer box office. But can theaters sustain the momentum? -
In a fickle media market, Disney's overall revenue grew 4%. Despite declining ad revenue and uncertainty over the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, CEO Bob Iger sees growth opportunities.
