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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, May 24, 2007
  • Still from Johnathan Demme's documentary "Right to Return"
    Still from Johnathan Demme's documentary "Right to Return"

    Understanding the Aftermath

    Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme tells us about filming a series of documentaries about people struggling to recover in post-Katrina New Orleans. But first, we get an update on Laos on our first Underreported feature. Then, we take a look at Japan's pro-whaling campaign. And Nathan Englander tells us about his debut novel about Jews in a troubled Buenos Aires. Plus, the life of Ralph Ellison--before and after Invisible Man.

Underreported: The Legacy of the War in Laos

During the Vietnam War, the CIA used Laos to launch secret operations, which in turn led to mass bombings and destruction there. And after the 1975 Communist takeover, hundreds of thousands of Laotians who had aided the Americans had to flee the country for fear of retribution. On today's first Underreported, we find out what has happened to those who left. Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath are director and co-director of the documentary film "Nerakhoun," about Thavisouk's long and difficult journey from war-torn Laos to Brooklyn.

Nerakhoun airs at BAM on Saturday, June 9 at noon as part of the Sundance Institute at BAM.

Underreported: Laos, Japan, and the Future of Whaling

Laos has agreed to join the International Whaling Commission at Japan's request, and is very likely to support Tokyo's pro-whaling campaign. Yet Laos is landlocked and has no whaling interests. On the second part of today's Underreported, we look into allegations that Japan is plying poorer countries with aid...in exchange for pro-whaling votes in the upcoming IWC meeting in Alaska. Joel Reynolds, Marine Mammals Expert for the NRDC, joins us.

Jonathan Demme Documents Post-Katrina New Orleans

Jonathan Demme is best known as the director of movies like “Silence of the Lambs” and "The Manchurian Candidate." He tells us about his most recent documentary project "Right of Return": filming real-life stories of people struggling to recover in post-Katrina New Orleans.

The Ministry of Special Cases

Nathan Englander tells us about his debut novel The Ministry of Special Cases, about a Jewish family living in Buenos Aires as they learn to deal with life under a new regime.

The Ministry of Special Cases is available for purchase at amazon.com

Ralph Ellison: A Biography

In his new biography, Arnold Rampersad talks about how Ralph Ellison's first and only novel, Invisible Man, shaped his life.

Ralph Ellison is available for purchase at amazon.com

Events: Arnold Rampersad will be speaking
Thursday, May 24 at 6:30 pm
The Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue, at 103rd Street
For tickets, visit the Museum’s website.

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.

Video Pick: Elizabeth Edwards

The Leonard Lopate Show

Elizabeth Edwards discusses how to best cope with lifes difficulties in her book Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities.

Recent Videos:
- Joy Behar Discusses her Favorite Things.
- Michael Pollan on Food Rules
- David Hare on Director Stephen Daldry
- Tyne Daly on the Debut of her Cabaret Act
- Actors Roger Robinson and Chad Coleman on Joe Turner's Come and Gone

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?