wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
  • New York Times

    Second Acts

    On today’s show: Why is the New York Times, America's newspaper of record, in financial trouble ? We’ll get some answers from Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Bowden. Then, Kathie Lee Gifford on her life. And, Playwright Christopher Durang on his new satire “Why Torture is Wrong.” Plus, word maven Patricia T. O’Conner takes your grammar questions.

The Inheritance

Mark Bowden, contributing editor at Vanity Fair, examines the nexus of dynasty and fourth-generation politics in New York Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr’s struggle to keep his family’s prized asset alive. His article, "The Inheritance", is in the May issue of Vanity Fair.

Kathie Lee

Kathie Lee on Life

Television host and bestselling author Kathie Lee Gifford's new collection of candid, personal essays is called Just When I Thought I Dropped My Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities.

Event:
Kathie Lee Gifford is reading and signing books
Wednesday, April 15, at 7:00 pm
Book Revue
313 New York Avenue
Huntington, NY
For more information, call 631-271-1442.

Chris Durang

Christopher Durang’s latest play is "Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them." It’s playing at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street. More information and ticket info here.

Patricia T. O’Conner

Word maven Patricia T. O'Conner answers your questions about the English language. Today she's focusing on pronunciation.

Call us at 212-433-9692, or leave a comment below.

Patricia T. O’Conner’s Grammarphobia website

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.