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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, June 16, 2005
  • Street art in the UK (Wooster Collective)
    Street art in the UK (Wooster Collective)

    The Word on the Street

    Flynt Leverett of the Brookings Institution has just returned from observing the Ba'th Party Congress in Syria. He joins us for an update on Syria’s role in the Middle East. Next, graphic designer Milton Glaser examines the power of images in The Design of Dissent. Next, Marc and Sara Schiller, of Electric Artists, study some current trends in street art. Finally, Robert Merry questions the notion of historical progress, especially as a justification for American foreign policy, in Sands of Empire.

Bashar's Trial By Fire

Flynt Leverett of the Brookings Institution has just returned from Damascus, where he was observing the Ba'th Party Congress. He’ll give us an update on the current political climate in Syria, and discuss how relations between Syria and Lebanon stand to affect the Middle East and the US. His new book is titled Inheriting Syria: Bashar's Trial By Fire.

Music: instrumental music 3/03/03 tracks “Wax off/kodo” and “fallout/euphone”

The Design of Dissent

Milton Glaser analyzes how graphic design can communicate political and social messages in The Design of Dissent.

» Exhibit information and a slideshow on SVA's website

Music: “Jump Start and Jazz,’ by Wynton Marsalis, track “Jubilo”

Street Art

Click for slideshowStreet art is gaining recognition as a thriving form of expression. Stencils, stickers, and spray paintings are showing up on streets from Manchester to Bucharest to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Marc and Sara Schiller join us for a discussion of the evolution of street art, and the Internet's role in bringing street artists and their fans together.

» Slideshow of street art from around the world
» More on street art on the Wooster Collective website

Music: Sugar Hill,” song “The Message” by Grand master Flash and the furious five

Sands of Empire

Robert W. Merry criticizes America’s approach to foreign policy since the end of the Cold War in Sands of Empire.

» Read an excerpt in the Reading Room

Music: "From Creation" by Thievery Corporation

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.