Bob Edwards talks up The Oscars

In anticipation of The Oscars, XM Satellite Radio's public radio guru Bob Edwards next week will host interviews with Oscar nominated actors, directors and other key players on XM Public Radio (ch 133).

Bob Edwards will speak with Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, the director and screenwriter of the political thriller, "The Lives of Others," next Wednesday, February 21st. The Oscar nominated film (for Best Foreign Film category) begins in East Berlin in 1984, ends in 1991 and focuses on the Stasi, the German Democratic Republic's vast network of informers that at one time numbered 200,000 people.  

Then on Friday, February 23rd, Bob Edwards gets an insiders opinion to the Oscars from film reviewer David Kipen. Edwards will also speak with Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris the creators of “Little Miss Sunshine,” (four nominations) and with actor Forest Whitaker who’s up for Best Actor for his role as Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland."

Other notable film related appearances next week include:

• Actress and writer Annabelle Gurwitch talks about her documentary film and companion book called Fired!: Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, and Dismissed. Gurwitch was inspired after she was dismissed by her idol Woody Allen, who added, "You look retarded." (Tues, Feb 20th)
• Billy Bob Thorton who plays a family man pursuing a lifelong dream of building his own rocket in the film "The Astronaut Farmer." (Wed, Feb 21st)
• Michael Apted, director of “49 Up,” “Coalminer's Daughter,” and dozens of other films.  His newest movie, “Amazing Grace” tells the true life story of William Wilberforce, a leader of the British abolition movement and his fight to pass a law to end the slave trade in the late 18th century. (Thurs, Feb 22nd)

"The Bob Edwards Show" airs on weekdays from 8-9am ET, with replays throughout the rest of the week on XM Public Radio (ch 133).