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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.

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

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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?