wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, December 10, 2004
  • Cherry Jones in <em>Doubt</em>
    Cherry Jones in Doubt

    When in Doubt

    Playwright, screenwriter, and director John Patrick Shanley discusses some of his recent projects on Broadway. His current play, Doubt, explores what happens when a priest is suspected of molesting a student in a Catholic school in 1964. And actress Cherry Jones, who stars as a conflicted nun and teacher in Shanley’s Doubt, gives us her perspective on the play. Then, we hear from novelist Alan Hollinghurst, whose latest book The Line of Beauty, won the 2004 Booker Prize. Veteran producer Jerry Weintraub looks back at his work, from "Ocean’s 12," to "Nashville" and "Diner." Finally, in this week’s Please Explain feature we take an in-depth look at Hanukkah with Rabbi Joy Levitt and Professor Alan F. Segal.

John Patrick Shanley's Plays

Triple-threat dramatist John Patrick Shanley on his array of plays on Broadway, including the critically-acclaimed Doubt.

» More on Doubt

Music: Jump Start & Jazz, Wynton Marsalis: "Root Groove" / "The Spellcaster"

Cherry Jones on Doubt

Actress Cherry Jones on her role in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt.

Events: Alan Hollinghurst will be appearing on:
Friday, December 9th at 7pm
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
308 West 13th Street, Room 301

Music: Soundtrack to Frailty, music by Brian Tyler: "Thurman, 1979" / "Laying of Hands"

Alan Hollinghurst

Booker Prize-winning novelist Alan Hollinghurst discusses The Line of Beauty.

Music: Soundtrack to The Hours, music by Philip Glass: "The Kiss" / "Why Does Someone Have to Die"

Jerry Weintraub on "Ocean's 12"

Veteran producer Jerry Weintraub on his latest project, "Ocean's 12."

» Visit the film's website

Music: Soundtrack to Ocean’s Twelve, music by David Holmes: "$165 Million + Interest [Into] The Round Up" / "Faust 72 / Dynastie Crisis"

Please Explain: Hanukkah

For this week’s Please Explain feature, we’ve invited two scholars here to talk about the rich and complex history of Hanukkah, and its cultural impact on today's society. Rabbi Joy Levitt, the Associate Executive Director for Programs at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan and the co-author of A Guide to Everything Jewish in New York, is joined by Alan F. Segal, professor of religion and Ingeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish Studies at Barnard College and Columbia University, to explain how Hanukkah came to be such an important holiday.

» More on the Please Explain series

Music: Soundtrack to Sonatine, music by Joe Hisaishi
A Hanukka Celebration: "To Celebrate a Miracle" by Samuel Adler

Patrick Swayze

The Leonard Lopate Show

Patrick Swayze mixed grace with athleticism in his movies – and rose to stardom with roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” He died just recently after a battle with pancreatic cancer. And you can hear his interview with Leonard Lopate from July 16, 2002, when he came by to discuss appearing in the film, “Green Dragon.”

The Silver Anniversary of the Silver Palate

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sheila Lukins was one half of a partnership that helped popularize gourmet cooking throughout America – first, through their gourmet food shop in New York City and then with the cookbook, The Silver Palate, which remains one of the top-selling cookbooks of all time. She collaborated on 2 other cookbooks that simplified gourmet cooking for the home cook. She died recently from brain cancer at the age of 66, and you can listen to her 2007 conversation with Leonard Lopate and her business partner Julee Rosso about the 25th Anniversary of the publication of The Silver Palate.

Dominick Dunne

The Leonard Lopate Show

Dominick Dunne was a famous novelist and Hollywood producer. But he may be best remembered for covering trials of the rich and famous – from Claus von Bulow to O. J. Simpson. He died just recently at the age of 83. But you can still hear his interview with Leonard from November 23, 2001, when he was discussing crimes, trials, and punishments.

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.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?