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The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, November 03, 2006
  • Brad Pitt (Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair)
    Brad Pitt, Las Vegas, 1994 (Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair)

    Important Contributions

    Kurt Andersen and Graydon Carter, the founding editors of Spy magazine, join deputy editor George Kalogerakis for a look back at the satirical publication’s influence on the media. Then, Annie Leibovitz shares some photos from her personal life. And a new novel imagines the lives of mathematicians Kurt Godel and Alan Turing. Plus, we take on corporate campaign contributions on this week’s Please Explain.

Spy: The Funny Years

Before The Onion and The Daily Show, people turned to Spy Magazine for biting satire, irreverent reporting, and snarky celebrity coverage. Founding editors Kurt Andersen and Graydon Carter join former deputy editor George Kalogerakis to pay tribute to the continuing influence the publication has on the media--a decade after its last issue.

Spy: The Funny Years is available for purchase at amazon.com


Events: Graydon Carter, George Kalogerakis, and Kurt Andersen will be participating in a panel moderated by David Carr
Friday, November 3 at 7 pm
The Main Branch of The New York Public Library
Fifth Avenue, at 42nd Street
For tickets, visit the NYPL website, or call 212-868-4444.

Annie Leibovitz on Life Behind the Lens

In A Photographer’s Life, Annie Leibovitz tells us how she makes portraits personal—whether it’s of a celebrity or a loved one.

A Photographer’s Life is available for purchase at amazon.com

Events: Annie Liebovitz will be presenting a slide show of her work and signing books
Friday, November 3 at 7 pm
The Paula Cooper Gallery
534 West 21st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues

Slideshow of Annie Leibovitz's photos

A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines

Physicist Janna Levin's new novel, A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines, imagines the lives of two of the 20th century’s greatest mathematical minds: Kurt Godel and Alan Turing.

A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines is available for purchase at amazon.com

Please Explain: Corporate Campaign Contributions

When you eat a pizza from Domino's or buy a book from Barnes & Noble, you could unwittingly be making a campaign contribution. On today's Please Explain, we ask how much corporations donate to political parties, who's getting the money, and what the companies get in return. Larry Noble is the former executive director and general counsel for the Center for Responsive Politics. He's currently working with the law firm Skadden Arps and advises corporations on how to comply with campaign finance laws. Carol Pott is the editor of The Blue Pages: A Directory of Companies Rated By their Politics and Practices.

The Blue Pages is available for purchase at amazon.com

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.”

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.

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.

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?