Yesterday I happened to turn on the radio to hear Terry Gross in the middle of an interview with singer/songwriter Vic Chestnutt. I had never heard of Vic Chestnutt, but I like Gross’s Fresh Air program and settled in to listen.

Gross and Chestnutt were talking about a song Gross had just played. Chestnutt explained that it had been about his love-affair with death. He had, he confessed, attempted suicide several times in his life.

At this point, Gross’s voice interrupted the interview to explain that the interview was pre-recorded; it had actually taken place in early December of 2009. Then she explained that Chestnutt had actually succeeded in taking his own life this year on Christmas Day (2009). Then she returned us to the interview. More...