On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
-

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
The world's most troubled states, like Sudan and Iraq, are a threat not only to themselves but to other countries all over the world. On today's Underreported, we'll find out what defines a failed state, and how instability spreads from one country to another. Later, a look at the art of writing biographies. Taye Diggs talks about his work as a dancer. We'll find out whether the "5-second rule" about dropped food has any scientific merit. And...the moment you've been waiting for...the winners of our essay contest on breakups!
Underreported: The Spread of Failed States
The world's weakest states aren't just a danger to themselves. They can disrupt the stability of countries halfway across the world. The Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy magazine have recently released their third annual Failed States Index, and on today's Underreported, we'll find out what a failed state is, where the worst ones are, and how instability spreads from one country to another.
Leonard talks to political scientist Pauline H. Baker, president of The Fund for Peace. She has more than 40 years of experience working on issues concerning weak and failing states.
Eating Food Off the Floor
The "5-second rule" says that it's OK to eat a piece of food that has fallen on the floor as long as it hasn't been there for more than 5 seconds. Connecticut College biology professor Anne Bernhard has done scientific research into how long food morsels can remain on the floor uncontaminated, and the results may surprise you.
How to Write a Biography
Meryle Seacrest has written 9 biographies over the course of her career. Her motto is: "Well, you can't expect to be liked in my business, but with any luck you can avoid going to jail." Her new book about her writing process is Shoot the Widow.
Shoot the Widow is available for purchase at amazon.com
Events: Meryle Secrest will be speaking and signing booksThursday, June 28 at 7 pm
The Strand Bookstore
828 Broadway, at 12th Street
Taye Diggs and Andrew Palermo’s dre.dance
Taye Diggs and Andrew Palermo’s new dance company is dre.dance. They’ll be at the Joyce Soho June 28-July 1.

Essay Contest: Break-Ups
We had over 200 submissions for our Lopate Show essay contest on breakups, hosted by Phillip Lopate, celebrated essayist and brother of Leonard. Phillip has chosen 20 winners. He and Leonard talk to the top 5 winners on-air today.
Go here to find out who the 20 winners are, and to read the top 5 essays.
- About This Program »
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Guest Hosts »
- Guest Picks »
- Latest Show »
- Tapes & Transcripts »
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Shop at Amazon!
Leonard Lopate Show picks
Start your Amazon shopping on WNYC.org and a portion of your total purchase goes to WNYC.
More
National Book Award Winners
The Leonard Lopate Show
A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!
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.
Video Pick: David Chang on Momofuku
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Arthur Schwartz on The Southern Italian Table
- David Plouffe on The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory
- Ken Auletta on Googled: The End of the World as We Know It
- Paul Shaffer on We’ll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-Biz Saga
- George Steel on the New York City Opera’s new season
- Gail Collins on When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of Women from 1960 to the Present
- Comments [1]
Please Explain: Eco-Labels
The Leonard Lopate Show
Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.
- Comments [14]
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.