wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, May 15, 2009
  • Robert Reich

    Money, Movies, Music, Masculinity

    On today’s show: former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich on the economy, organized labor, and the bank stress tests. Then, director Olivier Assayas discusses his new film “Summer Hours.” And, the Met Opera’s mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, one of the stars of “The Welcome Shore” at Merkin Concert Hall. Plus, our latest Please Explain is all about “boys.”

Robert Reich on the Economy

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich joins us for a far reaching discussion on everything from what the Obama Administration’s pursuit of tax havens might mean for healthcare reform, to the bank stress tests, to the Employee Free Choice Act and the role unions are playing in the restructuring of Chrysler and GM. You can read Reich’s blog here.

"Summer Hours"

Director Olivier Assayas’ new film "Summer Hours" is about three siblings who face the difficult decision of what to do with their mother’s rambling country estate and 19th-century art collection as she passes away. "Summer Hours" opens on Friday, May 15, at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center. For showtimes and tickets, visit the websites for Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center.

"The Welcome Shore"

The Met Opera's mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke joins us to talk about her performance in "The Welcome Shore," a hymn to rivers and oceans, at Merkin Concert Hall May 19 and 21. The concert includes music by Schubert, Noel Coward, Debussy Faure, Guastavino, Pauline Viardot and Rachmaninoff. Ticket and show time info here.

boys

Please Explain: Boys

Today's Please Explain is about the nature of boys--their minds, bodies, brains, emotional lives, and behaviors. With Margaret M. McCarthy, professor of physiology at the University of Maryland, and Michael G. Thompson, a psychologist, school consultant, and author, most recently of It's a Boy!: Understanding Your Son's Development from Birth to Eighteen.

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

The Leonard Lopate Show

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?