Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: Judge Nancy Gertner shares her take on the FBI raiding former President Donald Trump’s home, explaining the legal conditions under which a raid like this could take place, and what kind of consequences could come from it. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Then, we took listener calls about the FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Trenni Kusnierek discusses Serena Williams’ retirement, Tom Brady’s tampering scandal, Aaron Rodgers’ recent podcast conversation about his experience with ayahuasca and Brittney Griner’s chances of coming home. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Chris Burrell shares insights from his investigative reporting on the inaccessibility of Massachusetts' beaches. Burrell is an investigative reporter for GBH News. The second story in his series “Barriers at the Beach” is out now. Then, we take listener calls about their experiences accessing the state's beaches. Corby Kummer talks about what the popularity of Hulu series "The Bear" says about the restaurant industry, responses to Cracker Barrel including a new Impossible Burger on their menu, the carbon dioxide shortage that is hampering the production of beer, and how inflation has made it necessary for more middle-class people to use food banks. 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. Sean Ellis and Victor Rosario share their experiences being wrongfully convicted and reentering society — including the stark lack of resources for exonerees — and the way that their work helps to try and help smooth the process of reentering society. Ellis and Rosario are a part of the Exoneree Network of the New England Innocence Project, which provides support and empowerment for people who were released from prison after having served time for wrongful convictions. John King discusses the FBI raid on former President Trump’s home Mar-a-Lago, including his thoughts on whether the news helps or hinders Democrats ahead of the midterms. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We end the show by asking listeners what the FBI would find if the agency raided their homes.

Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne discusses the Inflation Reduction Act’s potential impact on climate, as well as what its passage says about polarization in America, and the ability of Democrats in Congress to get things done ahead of the midterms. Dionne is a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is “Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country.” Then, we ask listeners about what the Inflation Reduction Act’s passage says about polarization in Congress. Brian McGrory discuss the impacts of the recent MBTA closures, Mayor Michelle Wu’s strategy in dealing with developers in the city, and the potential for a 2024 Trump or Biden presidential run. McGrory is the editor-in-chief of the Boston Globe. Bruce Marks talks about the work NACA is doing to help Americans afford homes, and explains the factors which are driving the housing crisis across the country. Marks is the CEO and founder of NACA, the nation’s largest Housing and Urban Development-certified nonprofit. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price III share their thoughts on the NFL’s controversial record with player activism and supporting women, as well as recent calls for the church community to confront its ableism, and considerations about changing the Mass. state seal. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the inaugural dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together, they host GBH's “All Rev’d Up” podcast. Ayo Edebiri talks about her upbringing in Boston, her role in Hulu’s “The Bear,” and her upcoming projects. Edebiri is a comedian, writer, producer and actress. She plays Sydney in “The Bear,” and Missy in the Netflix series “Big Mouth.” We end the show by asking listeners how they’re holding up through this summer’s heat waves.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners how they find idle time to relax. Michael Curry weighs in on the U.S. response to monkeypox, and U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins’ new hate-crime hotline. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass. League of Community Health Centers. Kevin and Michael Bacon preview their latest music together, and discussed their tour across New England. Michael is an Emmy Award-winning film and television composer. Kevin is an actor – currently starring in Showtime’s “City on a Hill” and the new thriller “They/Them.” Together they form the “Bacon Brothers” musical duo. Irene Li discuss BIPOC women in the farmer’s market scene, and the state of the restaurant industry. Li is a James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Mei Mei Dumplings.  Shirley Leung updates listeners on the state of the MBTA, with the upcoming Orange Line shutdown and continued slew of dangerous incidents. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Brad Vernatter, Omar Najmi and Mack Wolz perform a few songs, and discuss their upcoming performances of “Romeo and Juliet” on the Common with the Boston Lyric Opera. Vernatter is artistic and general director for the BLO. Najmi and Wolz are performers with the BLO. They were accompanied on piano by Douglas Sumi.  We end the show by discussing recent studies showing the harmful effects of unhealthy food.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd talks about Sen. Joe Manchin’s role as the 50th vote in the Senate, the impact of Kansans voting to retain their abortion rights, and the possibility of a red wave in the midterms. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners if they think the MBTA’s Orange Line shutdown will be worth the hassle. Andrea Cabral discusses the latest headlines from the ongoing Alex Jones trial for spreading misinformation about the Sandy Hook mass shooting. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Then we open the phone lines to let listeners lead the conversation, sharing the stories they can’t stop thinking about. David Abel shares his thoughts on potential climate legislation in Congress, how the current drought is impacting the Charles River, and how climate change is affecting Maine’s puffin population. Abel is a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer who covers the environment for the Boston Globe. Andy Ihnatko weighs in on the new CHIPS+ act, which incentivizes United States' companies to manufacture their own semiconductors, a recent controversy surrounding video footage from Ring doorbells, and the resurgence of Google Glass. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. We end the show by asking listeners whether they prefer iced or hot coffee in the summertime.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about Kansas voters deciding to protect abortion rights in their state in the face of a potential abortion ban. Art Caplan talks about TV personality and Pennsylvania senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz’s history of dubious medical claims, and President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 rebound case. 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. Juliette Kayyem discusses recent catastrophic flooding in Kentucky, and the state of abortion rights in Republican-dominated states. 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. Her most recent book is “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” Lyndia Downie updates us on the state of homelessness in Boston, following record heat in the area. Downie is the president and executive director of the Pine Street Inn. Rick Steves shares travel tips and tricks from his most recent tour through Europe. Steves is an author, television and radio host, and the owner of “Rick Steves’ Europe” tour group. You can catch “Rick Steves’ Europe” weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2, and his radio show “Travel With Rick Steves” on Sundays at 4 p.m. on GBH 89.7. His latest, the six-hour mini-series “Rick Steves Art of Europe,” will be available to stream to GBH members starting in October. Meredith Goldstein talks about her latest “Love Letters” columns offering love and relationship advice. Goldstein is a features writer for the Boston Globe, where she authors the “Love Letters” column, and hosts the “Love Letters” podcast. We end the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on Boston’s booming rat population.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners if they’re boycotting the NFL following the recent sexual harassment allegations against Deshaun Watson.  Trenni Kusnierek discusses the recent allegations against Watson, the underdog victory for England Women’s soccer in the 2022 Euro Championships and death of a hiker on Mt. Washington. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Carol Rose talks about how state legislatures have been reacting in the wake of Republican challenges to mail-in voting laws, and the recent passage of the CROWN act in Mass., which prohibits discrimination based on hair-type. Rose is the executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. Lee Pelton reflects on the life and legacy of Bill Russell, Boston’s recent rank as the 2nd least affordable in the U.S. and a recent Harvard study which ties upward mobility to having wealthy friends. Pelton is the president and CEO of The Boston Foundation. Chris Muther recaps his recent piece on a five-star hotel in Hyannis, and discusses the guilt Americans feel taking vacations, the “lost luggage epidemic” and a popular new trend: the coastal grandmother aesthetic. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. Jared Bowen talks about Shakespeare on the Common, Brad Pitt in his new movie “Bullet Train,” a new play at the Company One Theater, Can I Touch It? and Grand Horizons at the Gloucester Stage. ​​Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. We end the show by asking listeners to share their feelings about the current pickle craze.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Attorney General Maura Healey shares her thoughts on the outcomes of the recent state legislature session, and took listener calls and answered questions on another installment of “Ask the AG.” Howard Bryant discusses the life and legacy of Bill Russell, including the impact of his presence in Boston and his role as a social justice advocate during the Civil Rights movement. Bryant is a columnist and commentator for ESPN. Then, we ask listeners about their memories of Bill Russell. Katie Krall talks about her experience being a female coach in the MLB, the unorthodox career path that led her to work in baseball, and the culture around women’s sports today. Krall is a player development coach for the Portland Sea Dogs, a Boston Red Sox affiliate team. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discuss the Kansas nuns opposing a state abortion amendment, the Pope Francis’ recent ‘apology tour’ in Canada, and Beyonce’s new album. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston and the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together, they host GBH's All Rev’d Up podcast. Richard Blanco reads poems about the chaos in our country right now, including “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost, Anna Akhmatova’s “Lot’s Wife,” and his own “And So We All Fall Down”. Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in United States history. His latest book, "How To Love A Country," deals with various sociopolitical issues that shadow America. We end the show by talking about recent legislation in the statehouse.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Mayor Michelle Wu discusses her administration’s strategy to combat climate change, as well as the rise of extremism in Boston, and the city’s new Police Commissioner Michael Cox. She also answers listeners’ questions during “Ask the Mayor.” Callie Crossley talks about teen activist Olivia Julianna’s abortion fundraising off of Rep. Matt Gaetz’s insulting her appearance, school segregation in the U.S., and National Chicken Wing Day. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black. Charlie Sennott shares his thoughts on the latest from the war in Ukraine, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s potential trip to Taiwan, and the U.S. strategy to get WNBA player Brittney Griner back from Russia. Sennott is a news analyst for GBH and the founder of the GroundTruth Project. Sue O'Connell reacts to Gov. Charlie Baker signing a bill to protect abortion, Verizon deciding to drop One American News (OAN), and Republicans’ hypocrisy concerning the same-sex marriage vote. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. Ron Savage and Larry Ward from the Cambridge Jazz Foundation talk about their work and the process of putting on the Cambridge Jazz Festival, and played some music. Ward is the executive producer of the Cambridge Jazz foundation. Savage is the Dean of the Professional Performance Division at the Berkeley College of music and the artistic director of Cambridge Jazz foundation. We end the show by asking listeners if they avoid working on Fridays.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates listeners on the latest political headlines, including the DOJ’s investigation into former President Donald Trump, and Senator Joe Manchin’s long-awaited compromise on an energy bill. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we ask listeners their thoughts on Manchin’s deal. Andrea Cabral discusses a trade proposal for Brittney Griner, the basketball player detained in Russia, and Alex Jones’ trial for spreading misinformation about Sandy Hook. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Ben Shattuck previews his latest book, and discusses the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau. Shattuck is a painter, co-owner of Davoll’s General Store in Dartmouth, and the author of “Six Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau.” Shirley Leung talks about politicians joining Starbucks picket lines, and drama around the future of Gunstock Mountain Resort in New Hampshire. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. James Bennett II previews the latest news in arts and culture, including favorites from Newport Jazz Festival and controversy over high ticket prices for Bruce Springsteen tickets. Bennett II is GBH’s arts and culture reporter. We end the show by discussing the prices for Bruce Springsteen tickets and the high prices of live events.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Art Caplan discusses President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 diagnosis and the World Health Organization declaring a global health emergency over 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. Then, we ask listeners whether or not they struggle to get enough sleep. Jon Gruber explains the connection between extreme heat, climate change and economics. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. His latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream.” Emily Worden updates listeners on the state of the job industry, and shares career advice with callers. Worden is a career coach and adjunct professor at Boston University, where she teaches Career Development in the Arts. Kate Dineen tells her story of traveling out of state to receive a late term abortion, and Rebecca Hart Holder explains the state of abortion legislation in Massachusetts following the Supreme Court overturning Roe. v Wade. Dineen is the Executive Vice President of A Better City. Hart Holder is Executive Director for Reproductive Equity Now. Megan Sandberg-Zakain and Rachael Warren preview their summer adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” on Boston Common. Sandberg-Zakian is director of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s rendition of Much Ado About Nothing. Warren plays Beatrice. We end the show by discussing the joys of ice cream trucks in the summer.