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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, January 02, 2008
  • From the movie "I Am Legend"
    From the movie "I Am Legend"

    Storytellers

    We say goodbye to 2007 with a look at the past year's most overrated movies....then welcome in 2008 with some predictions for the world in the year ahead. Also: a journalist explains why she thinks the risks of fatal food allergies have been greatly exaggerated. And find out how political narratives are created for the candidates.

    Be sure to check out our new film series Political Projections! We're asking you to watch a few movies about campaigns, and then tune in on Jan. 8 to contribute to the discussion.

The Making of Political Narratives

The Iowa caucuses are tomorrow, and the candidates’ narratives about themselves and their ideals have already been mostly established. On the Media’s Brooke Gladstone and Paul Waldman, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, talk about how those narratives are made, why some stick and others don’t, and which ones really matter.

Everyone’s Gone Nuts About Food Allergies

The risk of food-related allergies has been greatly overblown, according to journalist Meredith Broussard (who’s had food allergies herself). Her article in the January issue of Harper’s magazine is "Everyone’s Gone Nuts."

Note: On Thurs., Jan. 31 at 12:40, we're doing a follow-up segment addressing listeners' concerns about Ms. Broussard's interview about food allergies. Leonard will speak with Dr. Hugh Sampson of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine; he's Chief of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology and Director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute.

Predictions for 2008

The Economist magazine’s Daniel Franklin makes some predictions for the year ahead in 2008. He says the dollar will continue to fall, and US relations with Iran could improve.

Weigh in: What are your predictions for the world in 2008?

Read Daniel Franklin’s reflections on his predictions for 2007 – was he right or wrong?

Most Overrated Movies of 2007

What were the most overrated films of 2007? Stephen Whitty, Chairman of the New York Critics Film Circle and Newark Star-Ledger critic, and Christian Science Monitor film critic Peter Rainer weigh in.

What do you think were the most overrated movies of 2007? Tell us by leaving a comment below.

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.

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.

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.