On Demand
The Next Big Thing
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Pledges of Allegiance
We examine our commitment to various national leaders and baseball teams. We swear our allegiances to political parties left and right. And we just plain swear (in a piece about cooking written by Ian Frazier). Also, more “Walkman Busting,” and a new, creepy meditation on criminals and those they pursue from writer and performer Miranda July.
Been There
Thirty-eight years ago, Lyndon Johnson spoke to the nation about a war that just about everyone, in retrospect, wishes had never started. Sound familiar? Listen.
Party Hopping
Seven reasons why people switch political parties – ranging from exasperation to calculation. Next Big Thing’s Amanda Aronczyk offers this primer on American political mobility.
A Stopped Clock
Host Dean Olsher considers the halting life of a landmark that he passes every day on his way to work.
He’s the Top
Last week, we put out a challenge to listeners to write their own, up-to-date lyrics to a famous Cole Porter song. Adam Brown, child psychologist and wordsmith, came up with this winning submission.
Walkman Busting
So a guy walks up to you on the street and asks you what's playing on your Walkman.
You tell him. But wait - now he says he wants to listen too and before you know
it, he's plugged his mini-disc recorder in and started taping your music. That's
right, Gideon D'Arcangelo is at it again with his "Walkman Busting." And now we
plug in to HIS player, to find out what he's heard. Produced with Jill Krauss.
The Man on the Stairs
Writer and performer Miranda July takes us on one of her strange and haunting journeys of the imagination, this time to contemplate the disturbing bond that can be formed between a criminal and his victim. Produced by Curtis Fox, and featuring original music by Winston Rice.
Baseball in Letters
Dean reviews some of the literature, from George Plimpton to shortstop “poet” Phil Rizzuto.
Baseball in Numbers
Baseball has turned into a geek's game of percentages, averages, and probabilities. But inside the scoreboard of Fenway Park's iconic left field wall they're still keeping score the same way they were the last time the Red Sox won the World Series, 85 years ago. April Peavey goes behind the Green Monster and NBT's Michael Kavanagh tells the story.
Message to Red Sox Nation
Although poet and writer Steve Almond lives in Boston, he does not share fellow Beantown residents’ love/hate feelings for the home team. In fact, he’d like to put forth this gentle admonition, as playoff season reaches fever pitch. Produced by Julie Subrin.
Steve Almond has kinder words for Fenway Park than he does for the fans that gather there. He put them in a poem called “Fen.” Listen.
And While We’re Venting...
Sometimes the most ordinary activities can give rise to very strong feelings. Like, say, preparing a pot of chili. “The Cursing Mommy Cookbook” was written by Ian Frazier for the R.B.S. Gazette. It was adapted for radio and produced by Curtis Fox, and performed by Mary Purdy.
