Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years. We begin today’s on-tape show by revisiting the secretary of state candidates’ debate on Greater Boston. Journalist and naturalist Sy Montgomery joins us for "The Afternoon Zoo,” focusing on how songbirds find their mates. Author Tim O’Brien explains how he redefined himself through parenthood via a collection of letters to his sons in "Dad's Maybe Book." Anchor Anthony Everett joins us to reflect on the 40th anniversary of WCVB Channel 5’s nightly news magazine, “Chronicle.” Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspel shares her trials and errors in gardening, foraging, and hunting through her book, “To Boldly Grow.” Journalist Ronan Farrow discusses his investigation into Harvey Weinstein, as recounted in his book, “Catch and Kill." Harvard biologist Daniel Lieberman educates us on the importance of staying active through his book, “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.”

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years: We begin today’s on-tape show by revisiting the state auditor candidates’ debate on Greater Boston, with Democratic candidates – State senator Diana DiZoglio and transportation advocate, Chris Dempsey. Mona Haydar and Sebastian Robins talk about their PBS series, “The Great Muslim American Road Trip.” ESPN’s Howard Bryant discusses the life and legacy of Celtics great Bill Russell. We replay a 2018 conversation with author Salman Rushdie on his modern day Don Quixote, “Quichotte.” Boston Globe reporter Billy Baker shares his experiences making new friends as an adult in his memoir, “We Need to Hang Out: A Memoir of Making Friends." Behavioral economist Michael Norton shares his latest research on friendship and human behavior.

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years. We begin today’s on-tape show by revisiting Greater Boston’s lieutenant governor debate, with state senator Eric Lesser, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and State Rep Tami Gouveia vying for the #2 office in the state. Boston Globe reporter Chris Muther and food critic Devra First talk about the hidden gems of Cape Cod. Charlie Warzel join us to talk about his book, “Out of Office.” Journalist Spencer Buell and noise researcher Erica Walker discuss noise levels in Boston. Malcolm Gladwell shares his book, “Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know.” Writer Lindy West talks about her book, “The Witches Are Coming.” Lizzie Post shares her book on cannabis etiquette, "Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis, from Dispensaries to Dinner Parties."

Today on Boston Public Radio we're on tape, bringing you some of our favorite conversations from recent years. We begin with Greater Boston’s debate featuring the Democratic candidates for Massachusetts attorney general. It was the first televised debate between former state prosecutor Quentin Palfrey, labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan and Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell – all vying to replace Maura Healey. Ben Shattuck talks about about following the hikes of Henry David Thoreau in “Six Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau.” Howard Bryant discusses his book, "The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism."

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners about America’s political divide. Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett discusses the latest news on COVID-19 and monkeypox vaccines, and answers listeners’ questions in another edition of “Ask the Doctor.” Gergen-Barnett is the vice chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation and residency director in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Callie Crossley talks about Meghan Markle’s Spotify podcast “Archetypes,” and a new Madame C.J. Walker Barbie doll. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Micheal Twitty discusses the Jewish and African diaspora through his new book, “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.” Twitty is a James Beard winning author, chef, and cultural historian. His new book is “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.” Eric Deggans shares his thoughts on the latest on TV, from “Better Call Saul” to “A League of Their Own.” Deggans is NPR’s TV critic and a regular on Boston Public Radio. John Davidson reflects on his life and career, and his time hosting “Hollywood Squares.” He also performs a sampling of his music live at the Boston Public Library. Davidson is an actor, musician, and all-around entertainer who’s filled in for Johnny Carson, hosted shows like “Hollywood Squares,” “That’s Incredible!,” and “Time Machine.” Nowadays you can catch him performing music up at Club Sandwich in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. We end the show by asking listeners for their favorite summer drinks.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners about the Biden administration’s recent string of wins ahead of the midterms. Adam Reilly & Saraya Wintersmith shares their perspectives on the latest in Mass. politics, including the fallout of the Boston Globe’s reporting on past sexual assault allegations of Suffolk County DA candidate and City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, as well as the races for governor and secretary of state. Reilly is a correspondent for GBH News. Wintersmith covers Boston City Hall for GBH News. Marcella García continues the discussion surrounding the race for Suffolk County DA, and then discusses some of her latest columns about the Mass. legislature passing a law which allows undocumented people to get a drivers liscence, and accusations of a lack of care from an East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. García is an op-ed columnist for the Boston Globe. Paul Reville breaks down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, and discussed raised MCAS standards in the Commonwealth, and debate over whether K-12 students ought to be guaranteed recess. 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. Dr. Trisha Pascricha talks about her latest column raising ethical questions surrounding pre-surgery pregnancy tests post Dobbs, the recent colonoscopy craze and its complications, and the way that vacations can affect our…regularity. Pascricha is a neurogastroenterologist at Mass. General Hospital and a writer. Nick Quah gives us his latest podcast recommendations, including Jamie Loftus’ Ghost Church,  Marc Smerling’s Crooked City, Susan Orlean’s Book Exploder, Double Elvis Productions’ Lust for Live: Boston and Nick van der Kolk’s Love & Radio. Quah is Vulture’s podcast critic. We end the show by talking about whether advancing robot technology is worrying to them.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by taking calls about how listeners feel about President Joe Biden’s expected announcement on student loan debt forgiveness. Art Caplan discussed COVID-19 protocols in schools ahead of back to school season, the myriad of factors weighing on teens’ mental health and the inadequacies of systems in place to provide help, and the calls for renaming monkeypox. 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. Judge Nancy Gertner joined us for a session of “On the Docket,” in which she analyzed news about recent comments from Suffolk District Attorney candidate and City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo about previous sexual assault allegations against him, the findings from the FBI’s raid of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, and a recent hack and leak of voter information in Georgia. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Jeff Thielman and Farkhanda Ehssan discussed their work at the International Institute of New England resettling Afghan refugees, including how they try to help mitigate culture shock, how things are in Afghanistan for women now, and how the economy works for immigrants right now. Thielman is the President and CEO of the IINE, and Ehssan is a case specialist there. Shirley Leung shared her thoughts about the Wu administration’s attempts to revive and take responsibility for the failures with the T, the Biden administration’s recent announcement about student loan relief, and the draw of fully automated coffee shops. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Dr. Nick Whitney discussed the uptick in shark activity on Cape Cod, including how climate change is having an impact on it, the importance of treating the ocean with respect, and the new “Sharktivity” app. Whitney is a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, where he also chairs the Fisheries Science and Emerging Technologies program. We ended the show by asking listeners if they’ve ever seen a UFO.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they’re feeling after the first weekday of the Orange Line shutdown. Anna Deavere Smith offers insights into her revival production of “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” at A.R.T. Deavere Smith is an actress and playwright. She has starred in shows such as “Inventing Anna,” “Nurse Jackie” and “The West Wing.” Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson discusses the Orange Line shutdown, including the merits of some of the alternative options, the plausibility of a 30-day deadline, the possibilities for getting the MBTA out of crisis and the future of electric vehicles. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the TransitMatters board and contributor to CommonWealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets. Imari Paris Jeffries talks about his work at King Boston, and the organization’s work to create a living memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Corretta Scott King, “The Embrace,” which will be installed on the Boston Common this year. Jeffries is the executive director of King Boston. Stephanie Leydon and Ellen Shachter discusses the latest from the GBH News series “Priced Out,” including how corporations have disrupted the housing market and the balance between catering to buyers and investors. Leydon is GBH News’ director of special projects, and Shachter is Somerville’s director of housing stability. Dr. Virginia Sinnott-Stutzman gives some tips about how to keep pets happy in the heat, and answered questions from listeners calling in during another segment of “Ask the Vet.” Sinnott-Stutzman is a senior staff veterinarian at the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center. We end the show by taking calls about whether overplanning vacations makes them less relaxing.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on the 4-day work week. Callie Crossley discussed the latest culture headlines, including Dr. Oz’s viral crudité video, Brian Stelter leaving CNN, and the debate about the reigning Queen of Christmas. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Judge Nancy Gertner weighed in on the ongoing investigations into Former President Trump, including fallout from the Jan. 6th committee hearings and the FBI raid of Mar-a-lago, as well as the indictment of 3 men in the killing of Whitey Bulger. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Then, we asked listeners when the right age to turn in your driver's license is. Andy Ihnatko shared the latest tech headlines, including privacy concerns surrounding Amazon buying Roomba, when it’s time to buy a new iPhone and how to make your current one last longer. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Comedian Jessi Klein tells us about her new book, "I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood." Klein is a comedian, the head writer on Inside Amy Schumer, a former writer on Chappelle's Show, and voices Jessie on Netflix’s Big Mouth.  Luisa Harris and Gregory Groover Jr. joined us to talk about the Mission Hill Arts Festival, and Groover was joined by Max Ridley and Tyson Jackson to play a few songs.Groover is the Assistant Chair of Ensembles at Berklee, and Harris is the founder of the Mission Hill Arts Festival.

Every summer, bartenders and the industry try to put their shaker on the pulse of the drink trend of the season — But this summer, a new buzz-inducing beverage is making headlines. “Bartenders make a lot of money figuring out what’s going to be the drink that I am going to make fashionable this summer,” food and policy writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio. “Yes it’s a complete marketing thing, but it also marks the summer for a lot of people.” It’s not the dirty Shirley (a vodka-soaked take on the Shirley Temple) or a Nascar spritz (Aperol, lemon, and a Budweiser or Miller High Life) and it’s certainly not the espresso martini of yesteryear, according to Kummer. Instead, cannabis-infused — non-alcoholic — drinks, are garnering a lot of buzz. “These new unregulated, Wild West drinks in states that legalized recreational marijuana are going to make people much higher than they expect,” he said. “I’m not saying don’t market them, but be more careful about regulating them.” Corby 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.