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The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, January 28, 2005
  • New York City traffic
    New York City traffic

    Traffic Control

    Evan Cornog, publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review, looks at the role that readers play in shaping the media they consume. Faced with declining readerships and an increasing reluctance to grapple with hard-hitting news, Mr. Cornog wonders if it's possible to do great journalism if the public doesn’t care. Next, Sergio Castellitto, one of Italy's most internationally-acclaimed actors, stops by to discuss a retrospective of his work being put on by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Then, John Turturro tells us about his unconventional new thriller, Fear X. And on our weekly Please Explain feature, we look at how the city's traffic is regulated--from street lights to subway schedules.

Let's Blame the Readers

Evan Cornog, publisher of Columbia Journalism Review, discusses whether journalists are solely to blame for the problems facing the media, or whether readers are implicated as well.

» Link to "Let's Blame the Readers"

Music: "Salpica" by Mabmotur
Edit of "Salpica" by Mabmotur

Our Man of the Hour

Sergio Castellitto, one of Italy's most internationally acclaimed actors, stops by to discuss a series of his films that are being played by the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

» More on the film series

Music: Follow Your Heart, Mario Frangoulis: "Follow Your Heart"

A Chill in the Air

John Turturro on his new thriller, Fear X, set in the middle of a Midwestern winter.

Music: Music for Films III: "Tension Block" by Daniel Lanois

Please Explain Traffic

On our weekly Please Explain feature, Sam Schwartz and James Sanders lay out the nuts and bolts of how traffic management works.

Music: Soundtrack to Sonatine, music by Joe Hisaishi

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.