

Boston Public Radio Podcast
GBH News
Join hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan for a smart local conversation with leaders and thinkers shaping Boston and New England. We feature our favorite conversation from each show. To hear the full show, please visit wgbhnews.org/bpr To share your opinion, email bpr@wgbh.org or call or text 877-301-8970 during the live broadcast from 11AM-2PM Monday through Friday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 17, 2023 • 2h 40min
BPR Full Show: Indictment Watch
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We opened the lines to get listener reactions to a Georgia grand jury report unanimously finding no evidence of fraud in the state's election, repudiating Donald Trump's claims to the contrary.
Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed new Black-owned businesses in Seaport.
GBH's Callie Crossley discussed the sentencing of the Buffalo grocery store mass shooter, and comedian Chelsea Handler facing backlash for her satirical sketch riffing on the freedom of being a childless woman.
Restaurateurs Tracy Chang of Pagu, Rachel Miller of Nightshade Noodle Bar, and Maria Rondeau of La Royal. All three have been named semifinalists for this year's James Beard awards.
Roger Kabler is a Robin Williams impressionist. He joined to discuss his role in the film "Being Robin," screening at The Cabot in Beverly this weekend.
Kim Kashkashian, a grammy winning musician and founding member of Music For Food, and Jennifer Hanlon Wigon, executive director of Women’s Lunch Place, joined for Live Music Friday, to discuss Music For Food's ongoing 13th season. Performances by violists William Coleman, Sarah Darling, Kim Kashkashian, Samuel Zacharia, and violinist Meesun Hong Coleman.
We closed the show by opening the lines again to hear from listeners about AMC's new seating policy charging different prices depending on the seat's location in the theater.

Feb 16, 2023 • 52min
BPR Full Show: Bot Public Radio
Today on Boston Public Radio:
NBC Political Director Chuck Todd discussed Nikki Haley jumping into the 2024 Presidential race, and other news as twe head into election season.
Then, we opened the lines to discuss Bing's new search engine, powered by Chat-GPT, off of Kevin Roose's reporting in the New York Times.
For the remainder of the show, we replayed conversations with: author Ben Shattuck; comedian Jenny Slate; naturalist and author Sy Montgomery; Mona Haydar & Sebastian Robins on their PBS show The Great Muslim American Road Trip; and musician Red Shaydez.

Feb 15, 2023 • 2h 2min
BPR Full Show: Feb. 9, 2023
NBC Political Director Chuck Todd on the latest political headlines, including the State of the Union address from President Joe Biden.
Andrea Cabral contrasts media coverage of Lindsay Clancy with a similar case involving a Black woman, Latarsha Sanders. Cabral is former Suffolk County Sheriff and former secretary of Public safety.
Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui joins to answer questions related to the Cambridge police killing of Sayed Faisal.
Arthur C. Brooks writes about happiness for the Atlantic. He joined to talk about a few of his latest columns.

Feb 15, 2023 • 2h 6min
BPR Full Show: Orca Moms Speak Out Against Their Needy Sons
Today on Boston Public Radio:
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tracy Kidder and Dr. Jim O’Connell of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless program joined to discuss Kidder’s new book “Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O'Connell's Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People.”
We opened the lines to get listener reactions on the mass shooting at Michigan State University.
Juliette Kayyem discusses what we know about the Michigan State University shooting, recent swatting at multiple school districts in Mass, and her latest column in the Atlantic about the unidentified flying objects. 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.
Jared Bowen discusses the American Heritage Museum’s Hanoi Hilton exhibit, August Wilson’s Seven Guitars by the Actor’s Shakespeare Project, and the Last Dance of Magic Mike. Bowen is GBH's Executive Arts Editor and host of Open Studio.
Sy Montgomery discusses new research that finds orca mothers are so drained after raising one male calf that it drastically reduces their chances of having another one. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor.
We ended the show by talking to listeners about the toll parenting has.

Feb 14, 2023 • 2h 23min
BPR Full Show: Valentine's Day
Today on Boston Public Radio:
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined for Ask the Mayor, discussing her new rent control proposal and taking listener calls.
NBC Sports Boston anchor and reporter Trenni Casey discussed the Super Bowl.
Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein discussed Valentine's Day and her Love Letters columns and podcast.
Attorney General for Massachusetts Andrea Campbell joined for Ask the AG, discussing a new abortion legal hotline which can be reached by calling or texting (833) 309-6301, and taking listener calls.

Feb 13, 2023 • 2h 8min
BPR Full Show: Up In The Air
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We started the show with listener reactions to the U.S. military shooting down multiple unidentified objects in North American airspace.
Michael Curry discussed a new study that finds childbirth is deadlier for Black families even when they’re wealthy; and a 15-year-old in Massachusetts staying in a hospital for 40 days because DCF couldn’t place him. Curry is 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.
Charlie Sennott discussed the string of unidentified objects shot down in US airspace; and the latest with the earthquake on the border of Turkey and Syria. Sennott is the founder and editor-in-chief of The GroundTruth Project.
Retired judge Nancy Gertner discusses the Supreme Court weighing an ethics code; and former vice president Mike Pence getting subpoenaed related to the events on January 6, 2021. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School.
Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed the Super Bowl, which made history for both quarterbacks being Black. Reverend Irene Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Emmett G. Price III is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the All Rev'd Up podcast.
We closed the show with listener comments on whether restaurants should ban children, as one New Jersey establishment has just done.

Feb 10, 2023 • 2h 6min
Boston Public Radio: Pre-Game
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We asked our listeners their thoughts on everything related to the upcoming Super Bowl, from the first legal bets on the big game in Massachusetts to the price of Super Bowl snacks and beyond.
Cara Solomon, founder of the nonprofit Everyday Boston, and Ronnie Elliot, the Transformational Prison Project’s Youthful Offender Coordinator, discussed their fifth annual “Love Your Wicked Awesome Neighbor Challenge,” a chance for Bostonians to connect with those in their community via supportive homemade cards.
Under the Radar and Basic Black host Callie Crossley joined the team to talk about Mayor Wu’s Reparations Task Force, and how the city can take inspiration from existing reparations and racial justice programs both here in the Commonwealth—such as that at Harvard—and across the country.
Sue O’Connell broke down major headlines ranging from President Biden’s State of the Union address from this past Tuesday to allegations that abuses against LGBTQ+ users have increased since Elon Musk took over the company to Netflix cracking down on password sharing. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, as well as a reporter for NBC LX and NECN.
Boston-based band Mile Twelve discussed and performed tracks from their newest album, “Close Enough to Here,” as part of Live Music Friday.
For our final listener call-in segment, we asked our listeners to weigh in on how they’re reacting to and coping with the unseasonably warm winter weather.
We ended the show by hearing from Winter Walk executive director Ari Barbanell about this weekend’s event.

Feb 8, 2023 • 2h 6min
Boston Public Radio Full Show: SOTU
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We started the show by opening the lines to hear our listeners’ reaction to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address.
Then Art Caplan discussed the shortage of primary care physicians in Massachusetts. He also talked about Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s plan to try to wipe the medical debt of state residents and a proposal in Florida that would require high school athletes to submit menstrual records to schools to prove their sex. Art 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 National Security Expert Juliette Kayyem came on to discuss the criminal charges filed against Lindsay Clancy, a Duxbury woman accused of strangling her three children to death. Her lawyer argues she is not guilty because of temporary insanity caused by post-partum psychosis. She also commented on President Biden’s State of the Union Address and how Biden handled the Chinese spy balloon that hovered over the U.S. last week. Juliette Kayyem is the 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.
GBH News Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen discussed “Made in China 2.0” through ArtsEmerson, the El Pasado Mío/Cooper Gallery at Harvard’s Hutchins Center, Re/Framing the View at New Bedford Whaling Museum, and the documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed.”
Michael Curry of the Mass League of Community Health Centers discussed the police reform elements of President Biden's State of the Union speech. He also talked about Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's reparations task force and the resistance the body faces from the public.
Then we ended the show by asking our listeners what their favorite unhealthy food is after we read that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi eats a hotdog every day for lunch.

Feb 7, 2023 • 2h 40min
BPR Full Show 2/7/23: Peep Show
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We opened phone and text lines to ask listeners about their relationship with work commutes, and if they enjoy getting a moment’s rest before and after the workday.
Trenni Casey discussed a new study finding evidence of CTE in 92 percent of NFL players, and a story about a Connecticut Whole Foods worker who holds the title of most Mount Everest ascents by a woman.
Carol Rose spoke on Massachusetts debuting an abortion resource hotline, as well as a pending lawsuit out of Texas that would ban abortion pills nationwide.
Lee Pelton discussed scrutiny of Memphis police in the aftermath of Trye Nichols’ death, and why he’s not concerned with public criticism of the Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King memorial on Boston Common.
Corby Kummer reflected on the passing of Bob Born, credited with bringing marshmallow Peeps to the masses.
John King gave his two cents on rumors that Labor Secretary and former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will become Executive Director of the NHL Players’ Association. He also spoke on President Biden’s coming State of the Union Address.
We closed the show by re-opening phone and text lines to discuss listener gripes with America’s transition away from cash.

Feb 6, 2023 • 2h 41min
BPR Full Show: A Political Rematch Nobody Wants
Today on Boston Public Radio:
We opened the lines to hear from listeners about a new Washington Post/ABC poll that shows voters unenthused about the prospects of a Biden/Trump rematch in 2024.
Jesse Mermell and Jennifer Nassour joined for a political panel, and discussed the DNC voting to move the first primary to South Carolina, and how the Massachusetts Republican party might move forward without Jim Lyons. Mermell is founder and president of deWit Impact Group, and a former Democratic candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District. Nassour is the founder of the Pocketbook Project, former chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party and a former candidate for Boston City Council.
Cathy Judd-Stein, Gaming Commission chair, joined to discuss the start of sports betting in Massachusetts.
Bradley Campbell, Conservation Law Foundation president and CEO, joined to discuss various environmental headlines, including Gov. Healey’s climate plans.
Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed the evolution of the National Prayer Breakfast.
Jessie Colbert and Dr. Leena Mittal joined to discuss maternal mental health and perinatal mood disorders. Jessie Colbert is Founder and Executive Director of the Mass PPD Fund. Dr. Leena Mittal, is Medical Director of the Equity, Substance Use and Community Partnerships at MCPAP for Moms, Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
We ended the show by hearing from listeners about the best way to bail on a date that isn't going well, on the heels of a survey that found people generally take 51 minutes to make up their minds and come up with an excuse to leave.


