wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, June 25, 2009
  • Donald Rumsfeld

    Known Unknowns

    Washington Post reporter Bradley Graham analyzes Donald Rumsfeld’s tenure at the Pentagon. Then we’ll learn about the "Secret Policemen’s Film Festival," a series showcasing 30 years of comedy/rock benefit performances for Amnesty International. Then Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Gary Tinterow discusses the first major exhibition in 20 years devoted to the work of Francis Bacon. Plus, our latest Underreported looks at political corruption in Kenya.

    We Want Your Recipes!
    Do you have a secret ingredient that transforms a recipe? A favorite dish that you’ve made your own? The Lopate Show is collecting your adapted recipes! Chef Michael Lomonaco will be reading them all, and he’ll be here in July to pick his favorite dish and cook it with the winner! It’s all part of our Food in the City series. Submit your recipe here. The deadline is July 1!

By His Own Rules

Bradley Graham, longtime Washington Post reporter who closely covered Donald Rumsfeld's tenure at the Pentagon, offers a layered and revealing portrait of the former Secretary of Defense's complex personality and troubled legacy. His book is By His Own Rules: The Ambitions, Successes, and Ultimate Failures of Donald Rumsfeld.

Secret Policemen’s Film Festival

Martin Lewis, series co-creator and co-producer, and Terry Jones, of Monty Python, talk about the "The Secret Policemen's Film Festival," at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The festival showcases the best of the Amnesty International groundbreaking comedy/rock benefits, starring the Monty Python players and other greats in British comedy and laid the groundwork for other benefit shows, such as Live Aid, Farm Aid, and Comic Relief. "The Secret Policemen's Film Festival," is playing at the Film Society of Lincoln Center June 26 through July 1. More information about screenings and tickets here.

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gary Tinterow, Engelhard Chairman of the Metropolitan Museum's Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art, discusses "Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective," the first major New York exhibition in 20 years devoted to the modern British painter. It’s on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through August 16. For more information about the exhibition, visit www.metmuseum.org.

View a slideshow of images from the exhibition here.

Underreported: Political Corruption in Kenya

On today's Underreported, Michaela Wrong, author of It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower, discusses John Githongo, a pillar of the Kenyan establishment turned whistle-blower, becoming simultaneously one of the most hated and admired men in Kenya. She also explores the factors that continue to blight Africa—ethnic favoritism, government corruption, and the smug complacency of Western donor nations—probing the very roots of the continent's predicament.

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?