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The Leonard Lopate Show
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Star Struck
Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, is joined by chef Eric Ripert, along with Jean-Luc Naret, the director of the Michelin Guide, for a discussion on the positive and negative effects of earning a three-star rating. Next, John Vaillant outlines the complicated relationship between humans and trees by focusing on the plight of one giant spruce tree in British Columbia. Then, Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours, shares his new novel, Specimen Days. Finally, American Museum of Natural History paleontologist Mark Norell explains how scientists came to recognize the similarities between dinosaurs and birds in Unearthing the Dragon.
Rebels Without a Star
When the pressure of running a three-star Michelin restaurant becomes too great, what is a chef to do? Give up the stars! Top chefs in France are turning in their stars and opting to open chic low-key bistros instead. Is this a trend that could take off in top NYC restaurants as well? We’ll talk to Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, and Jean-Luc Naret, Director of the Michelin Guide, about the future of the restaurant star system.
Music: Swingtime!, The Canadian Brass: “Blue Rondo a la Turk” / “I Found Love”
The Golden Spruce
John Vaillant looks into why a beloved giant golden spruce tree was cut down by an environmentalist protesting clear-cutting in British Columbia’s forests in The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed.
Music: Soundtrack to Finding Neverland, music by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek: “The Park”
Specimen Days
Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours, discusses his latest novel, Specimen Days. Inspired by Walt Whitman, the book follows the lives of three New Yorkers living in different time periods.
» Excerpt of Specimen Days in the Reading Room
» Michael Cunningham's website
Events:
Michael Cunningham will be reading on:
Tuesday, June 7th at 7 pm
Barnes and Noble, Union Square
Music: Soundtrack to The Hours, music by Philip Glass: “Morning Passages”
Unearthing the Dragon
Mark Norell, chairman and curator of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, traces the evolution of our knowledge of dinosaurs. The famous naturalist Sir Richard Owen came up with the word dinosaur, or “fearfully-great lizard,” in 1842. But as Mr. Norell explains in Unearthing the Dragon: The Great Feathered Dinosaur Discovery, we now know that dinosaurs have more in common with modern-day birds than reptiles.
Music: John Williams Greatest Hits 1969-1999: “Jurassic Park Theme” / “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
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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.”
- Comments [1]
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.
Video Pick: The J.D. Allen Trio
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Robert Stone on Nixon and Earth Day
- Moby on Music Business
- Nicholas Bakalar on The Medicine Cabinet of Curiosities
- Robert Feldman on The Liar in Your Life
- Matt Taibbi on Goldman Sachs
- Arianna Huffington on Pigs at the Trough
- Joel Grey on Images from My Phone
- Lawrence McDonald on The Fall of Lehman Brothers
- Comments [4]
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.
- Comments [33]
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.
- Comments [1]
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.
- Comments [9]
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.
- Comments [4]
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?
