Kai Bird

Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses J. Robert Oppenheimer, the creation of the atomic bomb, and Christopher Nolan's film with biographer Kai Bird. Topics include Oppenheimer's role and beliefs, screenplay inaccuracies, challenges of researching science biographies, Truman and Oppenheimer's views on atomic weapons, and parallels between Oppenheimer's integrity questioning and contemporary issues.

Christopher Nolan and Kai Bird discuss adapting 'American Prometheus' into a blockbuster hit. Disney's battle with shareholders and the predicted end of 'peak TV' are explored. The decline in Hollywood content and the journey of 'American Prometheus' are discussed. J. Robert Oppenheimer's passion for New Mexico and quantum physics is explored. The process of adapting the book into a film and the discussion on nuclear weapons and non-proliferation efforts are highlighted.

In making “Oppenheimer,” which opens in theatres this weekend, the director Christopher Nolan relied on a Pulitzer Prize-winning 2005 biography of the father of the atomic bomb, “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. Bird is credited as a writer of Nolan’s movie, and he spoke with David Remnick about the ambivalence that the scientist expressed publicly about the use of the bomb, which led to a McCarthyist show trial that destroyed his career and reputation.  “What happened to him in 1954 sent a message to several generations of scientists, here in America but [also] abroad, that scientists should keep in their narrow lane. They shouldn’t become public intellectuals, and if they dared to do this, they could be tarred and feathered,” Bird notes. “The same thing that happened to Oppenheimer in a sense happened to Tony Fauci.” Plus, Greta Gerwig talks about her path to directing. Like “Barbie,” Gerwig’s two previous films as a director and writer are concerned with coming of age as a woman. Once criticized as a “bossy girl,” Gerwig recalls, she tamped down her instinct to direct, focusing early in her career on acting and then screenwriting. She told David Remnick how she finally gave herself permission to be a filmmaker.

Kai Bird, a historian and author of "The Outlier," discusses the remarkable life of Jimmy Carter, focusing on his productive one-term presidency marked by deregulation and social legislation. The conversation touches on Carter's often-overlooked achievements, his impactful post-presidency, and his commitment to social justice. Bird also reflects on Carter's infamous 'malaise' speech and his legacy in light of contemporary issues, offering a nuanced view of a leader who continued shaping society long after leaving office.

Kai Bird, Pulitzer prize-winning biographer, joins to examine J. Robert Oppenheimer's life and fall from grace. They discuss his opposition to the Hydrogen Bomb, enemies undermining his influence, and the questioning of his security clearance. The episode explores the extreme measures taken to keep the Manhattan Project secret, the process of adapting the book 'American Prometheus' into the film 'Oppenheimer', and efforts to restore Oppenheimer's reputation after the 1954 security hearing verdict.