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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, July 06, 2006
  • Three Mile Island
    Three Mile Island

    Energetic Conversations

    On today’s show, Texas politician Ben Barnes explains how his state, once solidly Democratic, became a stronghold for Republicans. But first: an Underreported look at whether nuclear energy makes economic sense in the US. Later on, filmmaker Richard Linklater tells us about his latest project: “A Scanner Darkly.” And David Wilmot and Domnhall Gleeson describe their roles in the Broadway black comedy The Lieutenant of Inishmore.

Underreported: The Economics of Nuclear Energy

No nuclear power plants have been built in the US since the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. But interest in nuclear energy has been growing in the past year, as the country looks for alternatives to coal and natural gas. In this week's Underreported, Adam Aston of Business Week and Scott Cullen, the Nuclear Security Project Director for the GRACE Policy Institute, discuss the pros and cons of investing in new nuclear power plants.

A Scanner Darkly

Richard Linklater describes bringing Philip K. Dick's dystopian novel, A Scanner Darkly, to the big screen.

Events: Richard Linklater will be speaking with critic David Sterritt
Thursday, July 6 after the 7:30 screening of "A Scanner Darkly"
The Makor Center
35 West 67th Street, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
For tickets, call 212-413-8806 or visit makor.org

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

David Wilmot and Domhnall Gleeson describe their roles in The Lieutenant of Inishmore--Martin McDonagh's black comedy about political terrorism in rural Ireland.

How Texas Turned Republican

Texas was once a solidly Democratic state. In Barn Burning, Barn Building, Texas politician Ben Barnes explains how the state that produced LBJ became a stronghold for Republicans and George W. Bush.

Available for purchase at amazon.com

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.