Remembering Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali, the iconic three-time world heavyweight boxing champion, has died at 74.
Brian took calls from listeners whose politics, faith, and worldview were affected by Ali.
And a number of guests stopped by to share their thoughts:
- David Remnick from The New Yorker, who wrote King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero (Picador, 1999)
- Johnny Smith, a historian who wrote Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X (Basic Books, 2016)
- Chuck Wepner, a former boxer known as The Bayonne Bleeder whose fight against Ali inspired a young Sylvester Stallone to write “Rocky”
- Dr. Harry Edwards, a University of California Berkeley professor
@BrianLehrer I love the number of men who are calling with the name Ali in their name. Pakistan, Harlem and Ghana representing #MuhammadAli
— Anna L. Salisbury (@anna_limontassa) June 5, 2016
@RESullivanJr @BrianLehrer @WNYC 'smart', informed people know the actual futility of measuring the real intelligence, potential of another
— fafa sojidellha (@fafa019) June 5, 2016
@BrianLehrer @ caller Mohammad - your eloquent description of how #MohammedAli taught us to accept Muslims. Wonder what he'd say to #Trump
— Bonnie (@HiltonBRose) June 5, 2016
"Greatest? I have a PhD, and I still haven't found a word to really encapsulate Muhammad Ali." -Prof.Harry Edwards on @BrianLehrer @WNYC
— Camille Emefa Acey (@kavbojka) June 5, 2016
@BrianLehrer @WNYC Great special - I learned a lot abour Muhammed Ali, his times and really enjoyed it.
— Richard Schilling (@RSchillingNY) June 5, 2016
@BrianLehrer Thank you for your program this morning. Ali remains the defining symbol of the ever evolving social conscience of America.
— Naomi Farley (@BronxNaomi) June 5, 2016
