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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, December 20, 2007
  • (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24345537@N00/130289726/" target="_blank">Giuliani Time</a>/flickr)
    (Giuliani Time/flickr)

    Two Sides to Every Story

    Rudy Giuliani has been involved in some shady business dealings. Find out why the media haven’t paid much attention to that part of our former mayor's history. Also: the life and long career of actress Joan Blondell. Chris Elliott on his funny new novel, Into Hot Air. And on Underreported: why America’s sex offender laws may not be protecting kids from abuse.

    We want your New Year's food ideas. Submit your recipe here!

    And find out how you can participate in our new political film series. We're asking you to watch 4 movies about campaigns, and then tune in on Jan. 8 for a discussion.

Giuliani’s Shady Business Dealings

Rudy Giuliani has some shady business dealings in his past. Journalist Michael Shnayerson tells us more about those dealings…and why the media hasn’t paid much attention to that part of Giuliani’s history.

Weigh in: Do you think Giuliani has a chance at the Republican nomination?

Read Michael Shnayerson’s article in the Jan. Vanity Fair, "A Tale of Two Giulianis"

Joan Blondell: The Bombshell from 91st Street

"The Blonde Bombshell" Joan Blondell was one of Hollywood’s most versatile – and underappreciated – actresses. MoMA presents a new exhibition of 13 films starring Blondell. Matthew Kennedy’s biography is Joan Blondell: A Life Between Takes.

Joan Blondell: A Life Between Takes is available for purchase at amazon.com

More information about MoMA’s exhibit
See MoMA’s Joan Blondell screening schedule

Chris Elliott’s New "Novel"

Chris Elliott’s new spoof novel is Into Hot Air: Another "Novel" by Chris Elliott. It’s about narrator Chris Elliott’s misguided quest to climb Mount Everest.

Into Hot Air is available for purchase at amazon.com

Underreported: Are Sex Offender Laws Working?

US sex offender laws may do harm than good, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch. Strict notification laws and residency requirements don’t reflect the reality of the risks children face, may not protect victims, and violate the basic human rights of former offenders.

Sarah Tofte is a researcher at Human Rights Watch; Linda runs a support group for families of registered sex offenders. Elizabeth J. Letourneau, Ph.D. works with juvenile sex offenders. She's Associate Professor at the Family Services Research Center of the Medical University of South Carolina.

Weigh in: What do you think about current sex offender laws? Are they working? We’d like to hear from people associated with both victims and offenders.

Read HRW’s report "No Easy Answers: Sex Offender Laws in the United States"
Visit Linda’s blog, "There IS Life After Sexual Abuse"
Visit the Sex Offender Support and Education Network (SOSEN)

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?