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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, May 16, 2006
  • Billy Connolly
    Billy Connolly

    Shaping the Future

    On today’s show, guest host Rose Arce and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Héctor Tobar explore the ways in which Spanish-speaking Americans are transforming the United States. Also on the show: Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. Plus, a new novel about the ambitions of an 18th century Brooklyn woman who runs a gin distillery. And to start it all off, a look at a recent poll that found Americans have the lowest opinion of the media in the world.

Opinions on the News

Reuters consumer services editor Dean Wright describes the results of a recent ten-country opinion poll for the BBC, Reuters, and The Media Center. Over 10,000 adults were questioned in March and April in the UK, USA, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, and South Korea. According to the poll, over one in four people reported abandoning a news source over the last year after losing trust in its content. And America has the lowest opinion of media in the world.

Bravemouth: Billy Connolly

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly shares his signature brand of humor, and tells us about some of his other interests…from music to welding.

Gin and Spirit

Emily Barton’s new novel, Brookland, imagines the life of an 18th century Brooklyn woman who ran a gin distillery and dreamed of building a bridge to Manhattan.

Heaven for Stanley

Stanley Kunitz has died at the age of 100. He was twice the poet laureate of the United States. In spring 2005, his friend and fellow poet Mark Doty came on the Lopate Show to read a poem he wrote about Stanley Kunitz. We re-air it today in his honor. It's called "Heaven for Stanley," and it's from Doty's collection School of the Arts.

Translation Nation

Hispanics make up the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States. In Translation Nation, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Héctor Tobar examines how Spanish-speaking Americans are forging new identities for themselves, and transforming the country.

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.