On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
-
1959: Farewell Batista, Hello Barbie
On today’s show: We look at how the Cuban revolution is going half a century after Fidel Castro seized power. Then, we learn how one Iraqi General curried favor with Saddam Hussein’s regime. And we’ll talk to a sociologist about how we’re blurring the boundary between work and home. Plus, as Barbie turns 50 we’ll chat about the dark side of her manufacturer: Mattel.
A New Cuban Revolution?
Fidel Castro's Communist revolution in Cuba is now 50 years old. Though Fidel has ceded power to his younger brother Raul, there is a clear separation between the old guard and most of Cuba's younger generation. Peter Eisner is a senior correspondent for PBS's WORLDFOCUS; he joins us to discuss the three-part series, "Cuba: The Second Revolution?" which looks at how life has changed for most Cubans and what the prospects are for improved relations between the island nation and the United States.
Saddam's Favorite General
In her book, The Weight of a Mustard Seed, Wendell Steavenson provides an intimate portrait of General Kamel Sachet, who was one of Saddam Hussein's favorite Generals. Steadfast in his loyalty to God and his President, Sachet attended military executions and endured his own imprisonment as Saddam's behavior took increasingly paranoiac and power-crazy turns. But when it came time for Sachet's sons to do their military service, he refused to let them join the "criminal" organization to which he had given his life. Kamel Sachet realized, too late, that he'd become a participant in the terror regime that had strangled his county and destroyed its people.
Blackberry Boundaries
Does it feel like you never leave the office, even when you're home? Do you ever scroll through e-mails on your Blackberry while having a conversation with your child? Acclaimed sociologist Dalton Conley looks at how technology has erased the boundary between public and private space, work an leisure in his book Elsewhere, U.S.A..
Barbie's Dream House?
Who could imagine that Mattel, the toy company that brought us such icons as Barbie, Chatty Cathy, and Hot Wheels, had a dark side? In Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel, published in time for Barbie’s 50th birthday, Jerry Oppenheimer looks at the company’s cast of characters and the scandals it has weathered, showing that it’s not all fun and games in the big business of toys.
Listen to a great Studio 360 segment on Barbie here
- 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.
