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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, March 17, 2005
  • Daara J
    Daara J

    Come Rain Or Come Shine

    In this week’s Underreported feature we’ll look at a movement that’s just starting to gain attention in America: West African hip-hop. The Senegalese group Daara J joins us for a live performance. Next, Amitava Kumar tells us about his unique perspective on Hindu-Muslim relations. He’s a Hindu man who married a Muslim woman, and when the violent riots between Hindus and Muslims broke out in Gujarat in 2002, he traveled to India to interview people on both sides of the conflict in order to gain some insight on why people with so much of a shared cultural past were killing one another. Then, curator Barbara Stratyner tells us about a new exhibit on Harold Arlen at the New York Public Library. The exhibit explores Arlen’s many contributions to American music: he helped integrate blues and jazz into traditional theatre music, and wrote such classic songs as "Over the Rainbow," "Stormy Weather," and "It's Only a Paper Moon." Finally, Daniel Anker tells us about his new documentary, “Imaginary Witness,” on Hollywood’s role in helping to shape the public's understanding of the Holocaust. He’s joined by Martin Starger, the producer of “Sophie’s Choice, and historian Annette Insdorf, to talk about the challenges of using film to convey the horrors of the Holocaust without trivializing them.

Senegalese Hip-hop

Hip-hop comes out of the African-American tradition, but now it’s gaining ground as a movement in Africa. We’ll hear a live performance from the Senegalese hip-hop group Daara J, and we’ll get an update on politics in Senegal in this week’s Underreported feature.

» More on our Underreported series

Husband of a Fanatic

Amitava Kumar describes his quest to understand what’s behind the intense hatred between Muslims and Hindus in parts of India, Pakistan, and even Queens, in Husband of a Fanatic.

Music: "Coffee Talk" / "Wild Dreams" by DJ Krush

The World on a String

Barbara Stratyner, who curated the New York Public Library exhibit Beyond the Rainbow, reflects on the work of the great songwriter Harold Arlen.

» More on Beyond the Rainbow at the New York Public Library

Music: Celebrating Sinatra, Joe Lovano: "I’ve Got the World On A String"
Sunday Morning Jazz: "Over the Rainbow," Red Garland

Imaginary Witness

Filmmaker Daniel Anker looks at Hollywood’s ambiguous record on depicting the Holocaust in a new documentary: “Imaginary Witness.” He’s joined by Martin Starger, the producer of “Sophie’s Choice,” and historian Annette Insdorf.

Music: John Williams Greatest Hits, 1969-1999: Schindler’s List

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?