Boston Public Radio Podcast

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.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by talking with listeners about their MBTA woes. Trenni Kusnierek talks about the possibility of Kevin Durant coming to the Celtics, Lebron James’ comments about racism in Boston sports, and the latest in the running world and the state of the Red Sox. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor. Joan Donovan discusses her team’s research affirming former President Donald Trump’s role in the events of Jan. 6, including the new role of social media in inciting political violence. Donovan is the research director of Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy where she examines internet and technology studies, online extremism, media manipulation and disinformation campaigns. Judge Nancy Gertner shares her thoughts on the possibility of Trump being criminally charged based on the findings of the Jan. 6 committee. Gertner is a retired federal judge and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Corby Kummer debates the merits of bringing back happy hour in Massachusetts, discusses the end of the Choco Taco, and explains why “50 Best Restaurants in the World” lists are problematic. 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. John King talks about the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court repealing the right to contraception following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, what to expect from the Jan. 6 hearings and President Joe Biden’s plans to combat climate change. 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 their comfort shows are.

To borrow the famous sentiment from songwriter Joni Mitchell, “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” This week, ice cream manufacturer Klondike announced the discontinuation of their popular taco-shaped ice cream snack the Choco Taco. Choco Tacos have been around since the 80’s, and news of the snack’s demise was widely lamented across the internet. Speaking Tuesday on Boston Public Radio, food writer Corby Kummer called the Klondike brand “wonderful,” “nostalgic,” and “iconic,” noting the Choco Taco’s unique appeal in the landscape of novelty ice cream. “[Klondike] had a very clever idea, which is to package in a taco shape, vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered so-called taco shell – and then, nuts that go all around the semi-circle of the taco… that means you can mix the chocolate and nuts and the wafer more in every bite, ‘cause it’s more distributed when you just think of the shape,” Kummer said. For those upset about the news, he added that Klondike already offers several similar alternatives to the taco-shaped treat. “Go out and buy a Drumstick,” Kummer said. “It’s the same ingredients in a different shape and you’ll still be a happy ice cream fan.” For fans discouraged by Klondike’s decision, he added that there are several other ice cream brands offering similar products. "You can boycott Klondike and go for rival products that have the same ingredients in them,” he joked. 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 begin the show by asking listeners if they support the proposed return of happy hour in Mass. Michael Curry talks about recent white supremacist activity in Boston and the racial discrepancies in Mass. healthcare surrounding abortion and COVID-19. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass. League of Community Health Centers. Mona Haydar and Sebastian Robins reflect on their experience road tripping across Route 66, including the communities they met, the history they encountered, and how their upbringings and backgrounds as Muslim Americans influence their perspectives and storytelling. Haydar is a rapper, poet, activist and chaplain. Robins is an educator and chaplain. Together, they host the PBS series "The Great Muslim American Road Trip." Jimmy Liang discusses his journey from being brought up by a food-loving family to owning the largest Asian food group in Mass., what it takes to design a restaurant today, and how the food culture in Boston and its surrounding cities is changing. Liang is the founder, CEO, and chef of the JP Fuji group. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price talks about a recent incident involving a Sesame Place character’s racist behavior toward children and the city’s response to recent white supremacist activity in Boston. 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. Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett discusses the newest variant of COVID-19, the monkeypox vaccine, and answered listeners’ questions during this month’s edition of “Ask the Doctor.” Gergen-Barnett is the vice chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and a Clinical Associate Professor at Boston University Medical School.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, talking with listeners about last night’s Jan. 6 hearing. Devra First and Christopher Muther join us to share their list of hidden gems on Cape Cod. First writes about food and reviews restaurants for the Boston Globe. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. Shirley Leung discusses efforts to protect abortion rights in Mass., and the state of the MBTA in the wake of the Orange line train fire over the Mystic River on Thursday. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Bill McKibben talks about his recent book, “The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened." He also shares his thoughts on heat waves across the U.S. and Europe. McKibben is an author, educator and environmentalist. He’s the founder of 350.org and ThirdAct.org. He has a new newsletter on Substack titled “The Crucial Years.” He’s also got a new, serialized book titled “The Other Cheek: An Epic Nonviolent Yarn.” Andy Ihnatko updates us on the latest tech headlines, focusing on the publishing industry’s lawsuit against the Internet Archive. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. David Ibbett and James Monroe talks about translating the science of black holes into song through the Black Hole Symphony. Cellist Johnny Mok, soprano Agnes Coakley-Cox, and flutist and piccolo player Jessica Smith perform. Ibbett is the founder of the Multiverse Concert Series, and composer of the Black Hole Symphony. Monroe is the Senior Producer Adult Programs & Theater Experiences at the Museum of Science. We then ask listeners to share their favorite places to visit on Cape Cod.