wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Monday, March 22, 2004
  • Howling at the Moon
    Walter Yetnikoff, Howling at the Moon

    Music Man

    Walter Yetnikoff, the former president of CBS Records, calls himself a "Monstrous Music Mogul." He joins Leonard today to talk about his years of hard partying and working with the likes of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Barbra Streisand. Then David Leveaux and Joe Stein revisit Anatevka in their new production of "Fiddler on the Roof." They’re calling it a revisitation, or a rediscovery, rather than a revival. Novelist Chris Abani talks about coming of age in Nigeria in the late 1970s and early 1980s. And Helene Stapinski describes the difficulties of balancing a freelance writing career, her marriage, and playing in a rock band.

Walter Yetnikoff

Walter Yetnikoff presided over CBS during the 1970s and 80s, when it was one of the world’s most successful record labels. His new memoir is Howling at the Moon.

» Read more about the book

Music: Michael Jackson Thriller "Billie Jean” and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Bruce Springsteen Born To Run "Born To Run" and "Thunder Road"

David Leveaux

David Leveaux is director of the new production of "Fiddler on the Roof," and Joe Stein wrote the libretto. It’s at the Minskoff Theatre at 200 W. 45th St.

Music: Fiddler on the Roof: Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops "Fiddler on the Roof Overture"
Fiddler on the Roof: Original London Cast "Early Version of Sunrise, Sunset"

Chris Abani

Novelist Chris Abani talks about coming of age in Nigeria in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The protagonist in Chris Abani's novel, GraceLand, is Elvis Oke, a young Nigerian with a tendency to impersonate Elvis Presley.

» Read an excerpt of Abani's book in the Reading Room
» Visit Chris Abani's website

Events: As part of PEN Foreign Exchanges, Walter Mosley will be speaking with CHRIS ABANI. Salman Rushdie will be there, as well, and Alfre Woodard and Bill Irwin will give a reading of the work. March 22 at 7 pm at the French Institute on 59th Street

Music: Honeymoon in Vegas Soundtrack
Dwight Yoakam "Suspicious Minds"
Willie Nelson "Blue Hawaii"

Helene Stapinski

Helene Stapinski's new memoir about life in New York City in the 1990s is called Baby Plays Around: A Love Affair, with Music.

» Read more about the book

Music: Stephonic "Stop Me"

Tributes: Jeanne-Claude

The Leonard Lopate Show

Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.

Let’s Go Swimming!

The Leonard Lopate Show

According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.

Frank McCourt

The Leonard Lopate Show

Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.

Science and Faith

The Leonard Lopate Show

Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

The Leonard Lopate Show

On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

Leonard is on Facebook

Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.