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The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, May 13, 2005
  • Jean Shepherd
    Jean Shepherd

    Art and Enigma

    Eugene B. Bergman tells us about the life and work of the eccentric Renaissance man Jean Shepherd—he wrote several books, hosted a radio talk show in New York, and wrote the screenplay of "A Christmas Story." And in honor of Friday the Thirteenth, we take a detailed look at superstitions in our regular Please Explain feature.

The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd

Eugene B. Bergmann looks back at the life of Jean Shepard. He’s best known as the screenwriter of “A Christmas Story,” but many consider him the inventor of talk radio. Mr. Bergmann's new biography is titled: Excelsior, You Fathead!: The Art and Enigma of Jean Shepherd.

Triskaidekaphobia

Folklorist Dr. Patrick Polk, an Associate Professor in the Department of World Arts and Culture at UCLA, studies the cultural significance of folk beliefs and superstitions. He’s joined by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, author of 13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition..

» Please Explain series

Music: “Superstition,” Stevie Wonder

National Book Award Winners

The Leonard Lopate Show

A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!

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.

Please Explain: Eco-Labels

The Leonard Lopate Show

Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.

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.