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The Leonard Lopate Show Archive

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April 2005

Hair Today

Friday, April 29, 2005

Chemist Robert L. Wolke reveals the science behind cooking. Then, filmmaker Andrew Bujalski gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his independent film “Funny Ha Ha.” Next, Isild Le Besco discusses her role in the new film "A Tout de Suite." And on our weekly Please Explain feature, we untangle the mysteries of hair.

» More on Poetry Break


States of Mind

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Eric Rosenthal, the founder and executive director of Mental Disability Rights International, discusses international approaches to mental health in our weekly Underreported segment. Next, Dr. R. Douglas Fields explains why some memories linger in our brains, while others fade away. Then, James Salter describes his new short story collection: Last Night. Finally, Slava Tsukerman tells us about his new documentary: Stalin’s Wife.

» More on Poetry Break


Personal Histories

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Benjamin Barber and Lawrence Vale discuss the task of rebuilding Baghdad. Then, Jeannette Walls shares her memories of growing up in a very unconventional family. Andi Hicks and Hugh Munro Neely pay tribute to the life and career of silent film star Olive Thomas. And drummer Nick Mason gives us a personal history of Pink Floyd.

» More on Poetry Break


Sing Me Back Home

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Country music legend Merle Haggard tells us about his current tour, and looks back at his influential musical career. Then, Jessica Lange discusses her role in the new Broadway production of The Glass Menagerie. And Phil Lesh describes his life as the bassist for the Grateful Dead.

»More on Poetry Break


A Troubled Past

Monday, April 25, 2005

Dennis Miller joins us for an update on his comedy and politics. Next, Sarah Vowell, contributor to This American Life, tells us how her love of US history turned into a quest to visit monuments erected to assassinated presidents. Then, we take calls on your vacation plans. Siddhartha Deb tells us about his new novel, An Outline of the Republic. And Victor Rivas Rivers tells us about his experiences growing up in an environment of domestic violence.

» More on Poetry Break


An American Tragedy

Friday, April 22, 2005

Jorge Ramos investigates the deaths of 19 people in one of the worst immigrant tragedies in American history. Then, Steve Bogira describes why he spent a year observing the behind-the-scenes workings of the Cook County Criminal Courthouse in Chicago. Finally, Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith tell us about their starring roles in the new film, "Ladies in Lavender."

» More on Poetry Break


Ties to the Land

Thursday, April 21, 2005

On today's Underreported feature, we look at some of the challenges facing the Hopi tribe in Arizona. An energy company is draining the aquifer beneath their reservation--drying up the springs the Hopi depend on, and threatening their way of life. Then, Margaret Atwood tells us about a new compilation of her non-fiction works: Writing with Intent. And we’ll talk to Loung Ung about her experiences growing up in America as a Cambodian refugee, while her sister was left behind.

» More on Poetry Break


Against the Odds

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Word maven Patricia T. O'Conner pays homage to the oddness of the English language. Then, Kazuo Ishiguro, the author of The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans, tells us about his sixth novel, Never Let Me Go. Next, Suzanne Lloyd describes the unique comedy of her grandfather—silent film actor Harold Lloyd. And Suzanne Gordon looks at how health care cost-cutting is spurring a nursing shortage and undermining patient care.

» More on Poetry Break


Show is pre-empted

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Today's show is pre-empted due to special coverage of the papal election. Listen to an archive from March 7th in which Leonard spoke with John-Peter Pham about what goes on behind the scenes at the conclave.


Politics and the Pen

Monday, April 18, 2005

Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski and Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka discuss the role of literature in times of political upheaval. Next, choreographer Mark Morris previews his upcoming productions at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Then, psychotherapist Irvin Yalom describes The Schopenhauer Cure: a new novel that explores group therapy. Finally, Peter Scarlet of the Tribeca Film Festival, Dennis Lim from the Village Voice, and documentary filmmaker Robert Drew take a look at this year’s festival.

» More on today's Poetry Break


Birds of a Feather

Friday, April 15, 2005

This tax day, we’ll explore some examples of really bad bookkeeping. Director Alex Gibney and author Peter Elkind disentangle the messy chain of events that led to the Enron scandal in a new film, “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.” Then, Pulitzer Prize-winner Buzz Bissinger and St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa expound on the meaning of baseball. And in our regular Please Explain feature, Don Kroodsma tells us why birds sing, and what they’re really saying.


Battling Repression

Thursday, April 14, 2005

In our regular Underreported feature, we’ll look at the state of gay rights in the Middle East. Then, Ben Greenman tells us about remixing his short story collection into a new novel: Superworse. Frank Deford revisits baseball in the 1900s with The Old Ball Game. And Steven Levitt uses economics to answer unconventional questions about everyday life in Freakonomics.


Our House

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Alvin and Larry Ubell answer listener questions about spring chores and home repairs. Next, Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees, tells us about her much-anticipated second novel. Then, Aline Kominsky-Crumb reflects on the work of her husband, cartoonist R. Crumb. And Jon Ronson takes a look at the First Earth Battalion--an unusual wing of the US military devoted to training "Warrior Monks." Finally, David Duchovny describes his roles as writer, director, and star of his new film, "House of D."


Self-expression

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

First Amendment activist Floyd Abrams discusses his 30-year battle to protect freedom of expression in America. Then, John Bailey re-examines a strange case from 19th century New Orleans in which the city's German community fought against a rich slave-owner in order to determine the identity of one young slave. Next, Ellen Barkin tells us about her role in the new Todd Solondz film "Palindromes." And Bob Dole explains how his experiences in the military shaped the rest of his life.


The Center of Attention

Monday, April 11, 2005

Today we'll investigate what happens when a single event captures the attention of the media. Do other important stories get ignored as a result? On the Media's Brooke Gladstone stops by to give us some perspective. Then, hear the latest development in an earlier huge news event: right-wing terrorist Eric Rudolph has just plead guilty. He bombed the Atlanta Olympics and then slipped away into the mountains for 5 years while the FBI launched a massive manhunt. Next, Billy Collins tells us about his mission to get people reading more poetry. Then, Adam Mansbach shares his new novel, Angry Black White Boy. And we’ll hear from Trisha Brown, Paul Kaiser, and Mark Downie about their new stage collaboration.


True to Form

Friday, April 08, 2005

The Grammy-winning South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs live in our studio. Then, Grover Crisp tells us about restoring Sam Peckinpah’s first large-scale Western, “Major Dundee.” Stephen Chow mixes comedy and martial arts in his latest film, “Kung Fu Hustle.” And on our regular Please Explain feature, we get ready for April 15th with a crash course on taxes.


Strength of Character

Thursday, April 07, 2005

Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and a regular guest on the show, relates some of her undercover adventures as a food critic. Then, Shane White tells us about his work to recapture the sounds of slavery from history. James Atlas discusses some strategies for surviving the ups and downs of middle age. And Sabiha Sumar and Mallika Dutt tell us about filmmaking and women’s rights in Pakistan.


Positioning Systems

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Joseph Lelyveld looks at how his father, a Reform rabbi and prominent Civil Rights activist, helped forge his political views. Then, urbanist Joel Kotkin examines how ancient and modern cities reflect and anchor the beliefs of the civilizations that created them. And Meg Wolitzer explores the impact that sex can have on family life in her latest novel, The Position. Finally, gossip columnist Liz Smith dishes up some savory stories on the food habits of celebrities.


The Spirit of Collaboration

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Playwright Neil LaBute and the cast of This Is How It Goes (Amanda Peet, Ben Stiller, and Jeffrey Wright) discuss the art of collaboration in theater. Then, we’ll hear from Edward Conlon about his life as a New York City cop. Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Everything is Illuminated, tells us about his latest novel. Next, Leonard reflects on the nature of brotherly collaboration with his younger brother Phillip Lopate. And screenwriters Jim Taylor ("Sideways") and Tamara Jenkins ("The Slums of Beverly Hills") tell us how spouses in the same profession collaborate.


Evidence of Harm

Monday, April 04, 2005

David Kirby explores whether or not the use of vaccines containing mercury can be connected to a surge in the reported cases of autism in America in the 1990s. Then, Patrice Wymore Flynn previews a new documentary about the on and off-screen swashbuckling lifestyle of her late husband, Errol Flynn. Tash Aw tells us about his debut novel set in 1940’s Malaysia: The Harmony Silk Factory. And Charles Barkley proves that he’s not afraid to talk about race in America—from the Kobe Bryant case to affirmative action.


The B Side

Friday, April 01, 2005

Roger Corman, legendary B-movie director and producer, looks ahead to the newest generation of filmmakers. What kinds of films can we expect to see in the years to come? Then media consultant Herb Clark doles out some advice for public radio. Also, a look into why makeovers are overrated – maybe we should all have makeunders instead. We’ll air part of the remote broadcast Leonard did at MoMA earlier this week – find out about MoMA’s New Directors/New Films series. And for our weekly Please Explain feature, we’ll tell you how to get organized.