Boston Public Radio Podcast

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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners about their thoughts on high schools taking away students’ phones during school hours. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo talked about the CHIPS+ Science Act, including how it will work to expand tech hubs to cities all over America, and how she worked across party lines to help get it passed. Charlie Sennott discussed the latest headlines from the war in Ukraine, the changes in Afghanistan around a year after the U.S. withdrew troops from the country and the treatment of Afghan women under the Taliban. Sennott is a news analyst for GBH and the founder of the GroundTruth Project. Corby Kummer talked about the “cocktail of the summer,” the rise of THC beverages, and how hot chilis are right now. 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. Michael Curry shared his thoughts on the CDC’s plans to address COVID missteps, the dissolution of the American dream, and local police responses to white supremacist activity in Boston. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed the fallout of a Mass. school attempting to punish a student for wearing a hijab, reactions to a dioceses’ plan to spend millions of dollars on reparations, and recent calls for equity in housing following news about racism in home evaluations. 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. We ended the show by talking about how listeners’ plants are faring in the drought this summer.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started off asking listeners about accepting the “good enough” life — is settling a good idea, in relationships and in other aspects of our lives. Gov. Charlie Baker joined the show for our regular "Ask The Governor" segment where listeners' questions focused on the impending MBTA shutdown and what could be done about the region's spiraling housing costs. Baker is the governor of Massachusetts. Andrea Cabral shared her insights on the various legal investigations into President Donald Trump and associates, plus Massachusetts’ dropping prison population, the case of the Florida judge who ruled a 16-year-old was too young to decide to get an abortion and the Rhode Island radio host arrested on livestream while taking justice into his own hands. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Mayor Michelle Wu joined the show for our regular "Ask The Mayor" segment to talk about the growing problem of online and offline harassment, including that faced by doctors at Boston Children's Hospital and by women elected to public office. Listeners dialed in with questions about the MBTA shutdown and workarounds for getting around and updates on Boston Public Schools.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners about Boston's proposal to ban the use of fossil fuels in new buildings. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discusses the Inflation Reduction Act's expansion of Medicare's ability to cap prescription drug prices and the growing popularity of ayahuasca and psychedelic use among celebrities. 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. National security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses her latest piece in The Atlantic on the importance of the documents from the FBI search of former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney's election loss and recent right-wing targeting and harassment of Boston Children's Hospital's trans health program. Kayyem was the assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs for Homeland Security under former President Barack Obama. She is currently the faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Security and Global Health Projects at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Comedian Tom Papa discusses his current projects and his upcoming Netflix standup comedy special taping at The Wilbur theatre this fall. Papa hosts the Sirius XM Radio show 'Come to Papa' and starred in the 2020 Netflix special 'You're Doing Great!' Boston Globe correspondent Kara Baskin discusses some of her latest parenting columns, including a list of her favorite restaurants to dine out with children and tips for how to stop exploding at your kids. Baskin is a food and parenting writer for the Boston Globe, and a humor writer for McSweeney's. Naturalist, author and BPR contributor Sy Montgomery discusses how squirrels have been keeping cool in the recent heat waves by splooting. She also discusses new science recording stingrays making sounds for the first time. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and BPR contributor. Her latest book is "The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty.” We close the show by asking listeners about their stories –both nightmarish and idyllic – about taking their kids out to restaurants.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners about the impending shutdown of the MBTA’s Orange Line. Trenni Kusinerick talks about Bill Belichick’s efforts to rebuild the Patriot’s offense, the state of the Red Sox this season, and 8-year-old twins whose father is looking for them to get the youngest possible sponsorship by the NBA. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Michael Curry breaks down new Massachusetts legislation concerning mental health reform, the manipulative advertising of anti-abortion pregnancy centers, a recent investigation into complaints about healthcare equity in an East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, and the recent appointment of Boston Police Comissioner Michael Cox. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Jo Sias shares her expertise on the state of infrastructure in the face of our changing climate and extreme heat, including how climate-resilient infrastructure is more worthwhile in the long run, how politicians have tried to avoid implementing it, and why she’s optimistic for the future. Sias is a professor in the civil and environmental engineering department at University of New Hampshire, and directs the UNH Center for Infrastructure Resilience to Climate. Jared Bowen gives us the latest on the Greater Boston art scene, including the Armenian Museum of America’s exhibit “On the Edge: Los Angeles Art,” Jordan Nassar’s “Fantasy and Truth” at the ICA, MASS MoCA employees' unionization efforts , and the Pentagon’s involvement in the making of “Top Gun: Maverick.” Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio. John King discusses the Inflation Reduction Act and whether the tide is turning for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, including what to look for in this week’s primaries in Wyoming and Alaska, and the fallout from the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. 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 if, like Rep. Liz Cheney, they would stand up for the truth even if they knew it would cost them.