On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
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U.S. Army wade through the flooded streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans (U.S. Army)Mapping the Future
As New Orleans struggles to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, some New Yorkers see a parallel to the destruction and tragedy of September 11th. Lawrence Vale from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT joins us for a look at how cities rebuild after disaster. Next, we’ll talk to stage legend Marian Seldes about her current role in Terrence McNally’s new play. Then, Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky tell us about their documentary about religious tolerance after the Holocaust. And in today’s Please Explain feature, we’ll tackle the history and future of maps. We’ll find out how they’ve functioned in different societies, and how developments in cartography change the way we see the world.
Picking Up the Pieces
The future of New Orleans is a big question mark right now. And here in New York, 4 years after 9/11, we are still grappling with how to rebuild Lower Manhattan. Lawrence Vale, head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, joins us for a discussion about how urban identity can be reconstructed in the aftermath of destruction—whether natural or unnatural. Lawrence Vale is the author of The Resilient City: How Modern Cities Recover from Disaster.
» More on Lawrence Vale
Events:
"Manhattan Remembers"
May the dawn of a new day grant us the certainty of new hope.
Sunday, September 11 at 6:00 AM
Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park
(Enter on West Street & Battery Place)
Music: Lonesome, Alloy Orchestra (BIB Records)
11 – Only a Worker
6 – Weekend
Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams
The legendary Marian Seldes talks about her role in the latest play from Terrence McNally (the Tony Award-winning writer of Ragtime and Kiss of The Spiderwoman). The new play, Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams, explores the power of theater and the strain of human relationships.
» More on Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams at 59E59 Theaters
Music: The Hours Soundtrack (Nonesuch Records)
4 – “For Your Own Benefit”
3 – “Something She Has to Do”
Hiding and Seeking
Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky tell us about their latest documentary, “Hiding and Seeking: Faith and Tolerance after the Holocaust.”
» More on "Hiding and Seeking" from the filmmakers
» Visit the companion website on PBS.org
Events:
The New York Tolerance Center will host a screening of “Hiding and Seeking” followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Menachem Daum.
Thursday September 15, 2005 at 6:30pm
226 East 42nd Street
Please be sure to R.S.V.P., as space is limited
For more information please email elicht@pov.org
Music: Wandering Jew, Yale Strom & Klazzj (Global Village)
1 – Dybbuk
4 – Deja Oi

Please Explain: Maps
In this edition of Please Explain, we’ll look into the world of mapmaking. We’ll look back at the history of cartography and how different societies have used maps. We’ll also find out how technology, from surveying tools to the internet, have changed the way we make and use maps, and how we see the world around us.
Matthew Edney is the Director of the History of Cartography Project. He’s joined by Brandon Plewe, a pioneer of early online interactive maps, and an Assistant Professor at Brigham Young.
» More on the History of Cartography Project
» More on Brandon Plewe
» Please Explain series
» Information on The New York Public Library’s exhibit Treasured Maps: Celebrating The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division
Music: Sonatine Soundtrack
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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 [2]
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?