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The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, April 08, 2008
  • Phil Donahue
    (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)

    Body of War

    Phil Donahue has directed a new documentary about Tomas Young, who was paralyzed after serving in Iraq for just 5 days. Also: the history of the harpsichord. Find out how home cooks can move beyond just “following the recipe.” And Ruth Reichl and Jonah Lehrer on why the fifth taste, umami, is now at the forefront of modern cuisine.

Phil Donahue’s New Film, “Body of War”

Now that he’s not hosting a talk show, Phil Donahue has directed "Body of War," a documentary about the life of Tomas Young, a young veteran who became paralyzed after less than a week in Iraq. Ellen Spiro is the film’s co-director and cinematographer. It opens Wednesday, April 9 at the IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue).

If you can't see the video click here

Making the Harpsichord Hot Again

The harpsichord caused a stir among audiences when it was invented in the Middle Ages. British harpsichord virtuoso Jane Chapman explains the history of the harpsichord, its place in contemporary music, and what she’s doing to re-popularize it.

Event: Jane Chapman will be performing at Merkin Concert Hall
Thursday, April 10 at 8 pm
129 West 67th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues)
For tickets and more info go here.

Tips for the Home Cook

Chef and culinary educator James Peterson tells home cooks how they can move beyond just “following the recipe” to become inventive and precise cooks in their own right. His new book is Cooking.

Weigh in: Do you always follow recipe instructions exactly? How do you know what will work and what won't?

Umami

The fifth taste, umami, is now at the forefront of modern cuisine. Gourmet magazine’s Ruth Reichl and Jonah Lehrer, author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist, tell us more about what umami is and why it has such a powerful effect on taste.

Event:
The Umami Festival
runs from April 8th through April 18th
at Roulette, 20 Green St. b/w Canal and Grand
For more information, go to umamifestival.com

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.

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.