Boston Public Radio Podcast

Local restaurateur Garrett Harker announced the return of long-beloved Boston restaurant Eastern Standard in 2023, just down the street from the original restaurant. The famous Kenmore Square establishment — along with Harker’s Island Creek Oyster Bar, and Hawthorne — shuttered in 2021 after negotiations with their landlord fell through. “This is just fantastic news,” award-winning food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio on Monday, “But what’s great about Eastern Standard is you could go at any time with any mix of people, and having restaurants creates that sort of equalizing effect in a city, from the most elite, rich people to families just out for a really good time.” Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by taking calls from our listeners to ask if they are returning to public transit following the grand opening of a new branch on the Green Line. The Medford branch connects Tufts University to downtown Somerville. Washington Post Columnist E.J. Dionne, Jr. discussed some of his latest columns, including his plea to conservative Christians to change their mind on same-sex marriage. He also discussed Senator Kyrsten Sinema's decision to switch her party registration. Stephanie Leydon and Frances Amador of City Life/Vida Urbana discussed the latest installment of "Priced Out,” a GBH News series covering the rising rental costs in Boston, and the tenants organizing for the right to stay housed. Food Policy writer Corby Kummer discusses the return of the restaurant Eastern Standard, free school lunches for children, an angry Olive Garden manager and "Pilk.” Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III talk about the end of Trevor Noah's tenure on "The Daily Show," the release of Brittney Griner, and fractions within the Methodist church over positions on LGBTQ rights. Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Jon Gruber explained why pedestrian and auto deaths are on the rise in the U.S. despite falling rates globally, and the economic impacts of big cars. Then we ended the show taking our listeners’ calls about what they plan on binging during the holiday season as the Golden Globe nominations are released.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on Brittney Griner’s homecoming. Shirley Leung discussed her latest columns on fighting homelessness and “not in my backyard” sentiments as well as local ties to FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Callie Crossley gave her thoughts on the latest in culture: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being investigated by the House ethics committee, and Bill Cosby being sued for sexual assault and drugging. Crossley is the host of GBH's Under the Radar and Basic Black. Sue O’Connell talked about Brittney Griner’s release from prison, and the recent affair between the hosts of Good Morning America. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current on NBC LX and NECN. Jacques Pepin chatted about his career, and gave us some insight into the process behind his new book “Art of the Chicken.” Pépin is a chef, author and PBS contributor. Chad Stokes and Sybil Gallagher joined us for Live Music Friday ahead of a benefit show on Saturday for Calling All Crows, an organization that mobilizes music fans to feminist activism. Stokes’ band, ‘Chad Stokes & The Pintos,’ played us some music. Stokes and Gallagher are co-founders of Calling All Crows. We ended the show by asking listeners if inflation is affecting their holiday cheer.

Today on "Boston Public Radio" : NBC's Chuck Todd zoomed in to discuss how Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock's victory over Republican candidate Herschel Walker in Georgia was the latest sign that former President Donald Trump's brand of conservatism is waning in popularity. He also discussed the latest upheaval to the media industry following the closing of the Washington Post Magazine, a strike at the New York Times and the continuing closures of local newspapers under control by large conglomerates. Chuck Todd is the Moderator of Meet the Press, host of Meet the Press Daily on MSNBC, and the Political Director for NBC News. We then held a call-in segment, where our listeners talked about where they receive their news and how they miss the local coverage provided by smaller newspapers. Governor Charlie Baker came into the studio for his last segment of "Ask the Governor" on BPR before he leaves office in January. He talked about how he doesn't own a car and is confused by newer models, some of his proudest moments in office, and received calls from former Governor Bill Weld, Governor-elect Maura Healey and U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. Nadia Liu Spellman of Dumpling Daughter joined with her mother, restaurateur Sally Ling, to discuss their respective culinary careers and their new book "Dumpling Daughter Cookbook." We ended the show by talking with listeners about whether they let their children swear.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about recent criminal charges against members of the Trump Organization, and potential criminal referrals from the Jan. 6 Committee. Michael Curry argued for a statewide strategy in maintaining hospital bed expansions. Curry is the President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. He also serves on Governor-elect Maura Healey’s transition team, and Attorney General-elect Andrea Campbell’s transition team. Juliette Kayyem discussed the arrest of multiple people in Germany for planning to overthrow the government, and an attack on a power grid in North Carolina that has left tens of thousands without power for days. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her latest book is: “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” Dan Adams talked about the moms seeking out medical marijuana for their children with severe disabilities, and a blight affecting cannabis crops in Mass. Adams is the Boston Globe’s cannabis reporter and author of “This Week In Weed.” Corby Kummer explained how Vermont’s dairy farms are pivoting to adapt to climate change, and talked about panettone for the holidays. Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Ed Dworsky talked about his mission to fight shrinkflation in food products. Dworsky is founder and editor of ConsumerWorld.org and Mouseprint.org. He’s a former director of consumer affairs education at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs. We ended the show by asking listeners whether they’ve encountered shrinkflation.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse discussed dark money’s influence on the Supreme Court. Sen. Whitehouse’s latest book is “The Scheme: How The Right Wing Used Dark Money To Capture the Supreme Court.” Then, we opened the phone lines, continuing our conversation on the Supreme Court with listeners. Lee Pelton talked about the Boston Foundation’s Inaugural Boston Climate Progress Report, which finds that Boston is behind in its goals for carbon emissions. Pelton is the president and CEO of The Boston Foundation. Next, we spoke with listeners about charitable donations during the holiday season. Carol Rose shared her analysis of the Supreme Court’s hearing of a case involving a Christian graphic designer arguing that she has the right to refuse serve same-sex couples on religious grounds. She also discussed alleged case leaks from Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Rose is the executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. John King updated us on the latest news from Georgia’s runoff election. King is CNN’s chief national correspondent. He’s also host of “Inside Politics,” weekdays at noon. We ended the show by talking with listeners about Oxford naming “goblin mode” the 2022 word of the year.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Seth Moulton discussed last week’s vote to impose a labor agreement on U.S. rail workers, and why he feels Congress ought to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act to protect refugees from deportation. We opened our lines to ask viewers about their thoughts regarding the challenges of building high-speed rail lines in Massachusetts and the state of this mode of transportation locally and nationally. Sean P. Murphy discussed a handful of consumer advocacy issues addressed in his “Fine Print” columns for the Boston Globe. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price III reflected on former President Trump’s faltering relationship with the Jewish community, and recent reporting on Christian church services in Qatar. Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine of the UK podcast “My Dad Wrote a Porno” talked about the climactic close to their six-season podcast, which airs next week. We closed the show asking listeners about their thoughts on self-checkout kiosks.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking about the Boston City Council’s vote to lower the local voting age to 16. Shirley Leung talked about the differences in the ways that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and New York City Mayor Eric Adams handle mental illness and homelessness, as well as her latest piece on the “Great Rethink” about the ways that we work. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Corby Kummer discussed the latest food headlines, including the issue of water insecurity, Whole Foods putting lobster on hold over whaling concerns, and the meaninglessness of expiration dates. Kummer is the executive director of the food and society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Sue O’Connell shared her thoughts on the Respect for Marriage Act passing in the Senate, more controversy at Balenciaga, Elon Musk abusing monkeys for his neuralink project, and "gaslighting" becoming Merriam Webster’s word of the year. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current on NBC LX and NECN. Jared Bowen gave us the latest on greater Boston arts: the return of Boston Athenaeum, “Twas the Night Before” at the Boch Center, and Harry Benson at the Addison Gallery. He also discussed the recent New York Times profile on the woman who gets to dust Michaelangelo’s David. Bowen is GBH's executive arts editor. Christina Day Martinson and Ann McMahon Quintero of Boston Baroque joined us ahead of performances of Handel’s Messiah this weekend at GBH to chat and play some music. Martinson is concertmaster for Boston Baroque, and Quintero is a mezzo-soprano soloist in their rendition of Handel's "Messiah." We ended the show by asking listeners what they think about having dogs in the office.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners their opinions on Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton coming to Boston. EJ Dionne weighed in on the state of Congress post-midterms and what it might take to affect change there. He also speculated about the GOP’s future, including the odds of general support for former President Donald Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a 2024 presidential run. Dionne is an opinion columnist with the Washington Post. Juliette Kayyem talked about her latest piece on the training method of “run-hide-fight” in active shooter situations, as well as this week’s Oath Keepers convictions, COVID-19 protests in China, and what Kevin McCarthy potentially running the House would mean for U.S. national security. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Paul Reville talked about the recent inaction on President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, learning loss in Boston Public Schools, and the lack of delivery on a fully elected school committee in Boston. Reville is Massachusetts’ former secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also runs the Education Redesign Lab. Catherine Peterson from ArtsBoston and Cathy Carr Kelly from Central Square Theater shared some insights from an ArtsBoston survey investigating the way that arts and performances in Boston are recovering at this stage of the pandemic. Peterson is the executive director of ArtsBoston and Carr Kelly is the executive director of Central Square Theater. Odie Henderson reviewed some recent movies and told us what he thinks are the best films of the year. Henderson is a film critic at the Boston Globe. We ended the show by asking listeners for the pet peeves.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan weighed in on new research into so-called “SuperAgers,” whose brains are as sharp as those 20 or 30 years younger than them. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Then, we opened up the phone lines, asking listeners if they’re staying on Twitter amid numerous controversial changes to the platform. Andrea Cabral talked about a bank heist gone awry in Martha’s Vineyard. Cabral is the former Suffolk County Sheriff and the former Secretary of Public Safety. Hannah Jones and Rachel Flor discussed the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston this weekend, and the current state of climate action. Jones is the CEO of the Earthshot Prize, and Flor is the executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.  You can watch the ceremony on Monday, Dec. 5 on PBS.org and the PBS App, and at 8 p.m. on the PBS YouTube channel. It’ll also air on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. on GBH 2. Andy Ihnatko shared his thoughts on Twitter versus Mastodon, and the potential ramifications of the Kids Online Safety Act as documented by multiple human rights and LGBTQ+ groups. Ihnatko is a tech writer, blogger and podcaster. Sy Montgomery joined us for this month’s edition of “The Afternoon Zoo,” explaining how dogs evolved from wolves into man’s best friend. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor.  Her latest book is  “The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty.” We ended the show by asking listeners whether they’re early risers or night owls.