Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the widespread use of illegal fireworks in Massachusetts, and hear your thoughts on how and whether to address the issue.  NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek gave her take on Cam Newton, the prospective new Patriots quarterback, and talked about why she doesn’t expect fans will be able to attend baseball games in 2020, despite Red Sox President Sam Kennedy saying he hopes they’ll be able to.  Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther talked about restrictions for traveling in New England, and his experience lodging at a “glamping” resort in the White Mountains. Ahead of Gov. Baker’s press conference, we opened lines to talk with listeners about the latest national headlines.   We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Tuesday press conference.  Suffolk County DA Rachael Rollins called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the DA."

Today on Boston Public Radio: Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett talked about how Massachusetts is faring in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and responded to questions from listeners. We opened lines to talk about Whole Food’s ban on employees wearing Black Matter masks.  Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung talked about the treatment of workers at Boston's Four Seasons hotel, and the looming evictions for Boston renters hit economically by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, talked about the politics behind white depictions of Jesus, and the president’s choice to retweet video of someone shouting “white power” at Black Lives Matter protesters.  We opened our lines to talk with listeners about President Trump retweeting video of an apparent white supremacist yelling at Black Lives Matter protesters in Florida.  TV expert Bob Thompson reviewed Jon Stewart’s film “Irresistible,” "Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,” and “

Today on Boston Public Radio: Media maven Sue O’Connell talked about the new tell-all book about the Trump family from the president’s niece, and the decision by the Dixie Chicks to change their name to the Chicks.  We opened lines to her listeners' thoughts on the president’s response to the ongoing pandemic.  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Friday press conference.  Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the Mayor.” WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen reviewed Jon Stewart’s “Irresistible,” and discussed a Provincetown art exhibit honoring the life of local icon and art collector Napi Van Dereck.  “Under the Radar” host Callie Crossley talked about the real meaning of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On," and a recent string of white celebrities apologizing for their use of blackface. We opened lines to talk with listeners about Vice President Mike Pence’s Friday assertion that the U.S. is making "truly remarkable progress" with COVID-19, despite the current res

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd talked about the rise of coronavirus cases throughout the U.S., and how it’s impacting the president’s poll numbers.  We opened lines to talk with listeners about the rise of COVID-19 across the nation, and hear your thoughts on the state’s reopening.  Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral talked about a recent Boston Globe profile of BPD Captain John "Jack” Danilecki, and her views on corruption within AG William Barr’s Department of Justice.  We reopened lines to talk with listeners about coronavirus.  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Thursday press conference.  Former Mass. Secretary of Education Paul Reville talked about the new guidelines for the reopening of schools in Massachusetts.  Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed questionable use of face recognition technology by Detroit law enforcement, and news that Rhode Island is using remote learning to ditch snow days altogether. 

Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, it’s time to face the hard truth: now is not the best time for America’s buffets.  With cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise across the country, the buffet’s communal eating factor has made it unlikely that people will want to return any time soon. Food writer Corby Kummer, however, says that might not be the worst thing in the world.  The award-winning writer and senior editor at The Atlantic returned to Boston Public Radio on Thursday, where he reflected on why it’s probably for the best that Americans aren’t being tempted by the allure of the hot bar.  The first upside Kummer gave (aside from the obvious) was cost. “Paying by the pound,” he said, is "always more expensive than just buying and making the food yourself.” Also on the table is the over-eating factor. “It’s this whole idea that you’re pulling a fast one at a buffet,” he said. "You’re getting a lot of food for nothing. Somehow, when nobody’s looking, you’re going and you’re getting another portion–

Today on Boston Public Radio: WGBH News reporter Adam Reilly discussed new polling from WGBH, in partnership with the Boston Globe, MassLive, State House News Service, and Suffolk University, about the attitudes of Mass. residents towards police reform and the state’s reopening. We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the findings from the newly released polling. Rep. Joe Kennedy called in to discuss his issues with the president’s handling of COVID-19, and how he believes the federal government needs to address racism and police brutality.  Jim and Margery made their pitch for donations to WGBH, as part of Wednesday’s single-day pledge drive.  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Wednesday press conference, where he discussed the conclusions of the official report on malpractice at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan explained why he doesn’t expect a readily available COVID-19 vaccine in 2020, and discussed whether the MLB will be able to mitigate coronavirus tran

Today on Boston Public Radio: We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Tuesday press conference.  We opened lines to talk with listeners about your experiences with racism in the classroom. Mass. AG Maura Healey called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the AG." FRONTLINE producer and director Tom Jennings discussed his latest documentary, “Opioids, Inc.” CNN’s John King talked about Tuesday’s primary elections, and broke down the latest Washington headlines.  We opened lines to ask listeners: with Summer nearly in full swing, are you pining for baseball’s return? 

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: are you ready for Massachusetts to enter the next phase of reopening?  TV expert Bob Thompson talked about the Juneteenth special of “Sherman’s Showcase,” and broke down the best and the worst of what’s on TV. WGBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed the recent UN resolution on systemic racism, and American exceptionalism in the age of COVID-19.  Boston Public Library President David Leonard spoke about the library system’s “BPL to Go” program, which launches this week.  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, talked about the controversy surrounding a Milton middle school’s response to classroom discussions about police brutality, and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross’ meeting last week with AG William Barr.  Poet Richard Blanco read and discussed “Let There Be Pride,” a poem he wrote for Sam Adams as part of their “Love Conquers All” campaign for Pride Month.  We opened

Today on Boston Public Radio: CNN analyst and national security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed the Supreme Court’s ruling on DACA, and why she thinks Trump’s Tulsa rally could get cancelled.  Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the Supreme Court’s ruling on LGBT discrimination in the workplace, and commemorated the passing of Jean Kennedy Smith.  Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discussed Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s public withdrawal from Joe Biden’s VP pool, and defended her disdain for monuments and memorials.  We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s Friday press conference.  We opened lines to hear your thoughts on Gov. Baker’s announcement that Massachusetts will move into the next phase of reopening on Monday.  Under the Radar host Callie Crossley talked about the legacy of Juneteenth, and discussed new accusations that the Atlanta police officer who killed Rayshard Brooks of covering up the 2015 killing of Jackie Harris. 

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discussed the political ramifications of former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s new book, and the president’s upcoming indoor rally in Tulsa, Okla. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the rise of COVID-19 in states outside of New England. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed the current BPD payroll, and her thoughts on Gov. Charlie Baker’s  police reform proposals.  Andrew Bacevich, a former army colonel and President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, discussed his writing for The New Republic on how the U.S. fetishizes war. Travel guru Rick Steves discussed his new documentary, “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” and the parallels between the Trump Administration and the rise of fascism in 20th century Europe. AG Maura Healey called in to discuss the Supreme Court’s Thursday decision to uphold the DACA program.  Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam talked

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: why do you think it’s taken so long for white America to denounce racism? MIT economist Jon Gruber talked about the value in repurposing generic drugs to treat COVID-19, and the politics around cure and vaccines developments.  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Wednesday press conference.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed the risks of rushing a COVID-19 vaccine, and the unsurprising spike in Americans binging on junk food in quarantine.  Writer and naturalist Sy Montgomery talked about what to do if you spot a turtle in the road, and offered some tips on helping your pets adjust to life post-quarantine. 

Today onBoston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask listeners: are you ready to come out of your coronavirus cocoon? NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek talked about why she doesn’t expect to see baseball in 2020, and a new coalition of NBA players raising questions about the league's reopening plan. FRONTLINE reporter Martin Smith discussed his latest documentary on the coronavirus pandemic, “The Virus: What Went Wrong?" Former Mass. state trooper, Green Beret, and C3 policing architect Michael Cutone talked about the principals behind C3 policing, which he implemented in Springfield. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed the termination of nearly half the staff at Boston’s Four Seasons Hotel, and her latest writing on “a Me-Too reckoning on race." CNN’s John King discussed President Trump’s newly signed executive order on police reform, and Monday’s Supreme Court ruling on LGBT discrimination in the workplace. We opened lines to continue the coronavirus conversation with

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about the police killing of Rayshard Brooks, and the significance of his death in the context of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.  Massachusetts Director of Transportation Chris Dempsey talked about the return of drivers to Mass. roads, and why he’d like to see Gov. Baker ride the MBTA amid coronavirus worries. We reopened lines to talk with business owners and consumers about how you’re adjusting to phase two of the state’s reopening. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Monday press conference. TV expert Bob Thompson discussed “8:46,” the latest standup special from Dave Chappelle, and the cancellation of Paramount Network’s “Cops."  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed the Supreme Court’s Monday ruling on transgender discrimination in the workplace, and whether Boston ought to remove a controversial statue of Abraham Lincoln in Park Square.  Author Bill Buford discussed his n

Today on Boston Public Radio: Media maven Sue O’Connell talked about J.K. Rowling’s controversial stance on transgender issues, and the commencement address to a Kansas college from Ivanka Trump.  We opened lines to talk with listeners about everything that’s going on around police reform, coronavirus, and election 2020. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Friday press conference.  Tech writer Andy Ihnatko talked about Microsoft’s ban on police use of their facial recognition technology, and explained how to “protest-proof” your phone.  Under the Radar host Callie Crossley discussed President Trump’s scheduled Juneteenth rally in Tulsa, Okla., and a new charity founded by LeBron James to protect the voting rights of Black Americans. Joe Spaulding, president and CEO of the Boch Center, talked about plans for the theater’s gradual reopening, and previewed their “Ghost Light Series" that’ll be streaming in the fall. 

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd talked about President Trump’s scheduled rally in Tulsa, Okla. on Juneteenth, and whether Democrats will be able to win back the Senate in the November election.  Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed concerns around U.S. voting protections, and what Black Lives Matter protesters mean when they call to defund the police.   We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s Thursday press conference.  Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville discussed challenges for teachers and school administrators in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways that students of color stand to be disproportionally impacted by those challenges.   Quentin Palfrey, chair of the Voter Protection Corps, discussed Tuesday's voting debacle in Georgia, and the myriad of issues around voter protections ahead of the November election.  WGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen discussed an open letter from 300 prominent actors co

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on defunding the police.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed whether left-leaning media was hypocritical in criticizing anti-lockdown protests, and talked about pro-life opposition to a COVID-19 vaccine made using stem cells.  CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the bullish legacy of AG Bill Barr, and Sen. Mitt Romney’s decision to join Black Lives Matter protests.  Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco called in for another edition “Village Voice,” where he read a selection of poems about the act of protest.  Drake University professor and author Jennifer Harvey discussed her writing on white privilege, and what she describes as “white silence” amid racism and police brutality in the U.S.  Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the importance of supporting Black-owned restaurants, and why he’s no longer using food delivery services like Grubhub. We reopened our lines to talk with listeners about our interview with Jen

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio *on Wednesday about food magazine Bon Appetit's recently exposed structural racism. "The Me Too movement came for sexism, and now the moment is coming for racism," he said. "The editor of Bon Appetit, Adam Rapoport, was discovered in an old photo dressed up in Puerto Rican bling, and his assistant said [Rapoport] liked the picture so much that he had it framed on his desk." The photo itself was appalling, but even more appalling was the culture of racism that has now been described at Bon Appetit, Kummer noted. "The terribly white culture of the Test Kitchen at Bon Appetit has made millions...and that's why I think this culture went unchallenged," he said. "So the editor resigned and the Bon Appetit staff posted something today saying the culture is going to change and that they're going to right the pay inequity." *Kummer is a *senior editor at The Atlantic*, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutritio

Today on Boston Public Radio: We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Tuesday press conference. Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell called in to talk about the reforms she’d like to see Boston make to its policing system. We opened lines to ask: what changes would you like to see when it comes to police reform? Former Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick discussed his experience dealing with racism in Massachusetts as a Black teenager, and talked about his impressions of the recent Black Lives Matter protests. Journalist and author Devin Leonard discussed his book “Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service,” and why he believes government leaders won't let the USPS go under. Playwright and painter Ryan Landry talked about the response of art institutions to the Black Lives Matter movement, and how he think communities should deal with statues of racist historical figures.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask: do you have reservations about returning to normal, now that Gov. Baker has moved Mass. into phase two of reopening?  MIT economist Jon Gruber discussed the state of the U.S. economy, why the rising stock market isn’t indicative of overall economic growth, and responded to questions from listeners.  WGBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott talked about global protests over American police brutality, and why he thinks this moment could prove to be a global tipping point.  TV expert Bob Thompson discussed the response to Black Lives Matter protests from late-night TV hosts, and the recent CNN racism town hall featuring characters from Sesame Street.  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed President Trump’s photo-op with a bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, and the hypocrisy of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s statement in support of Black Lives Matter.  Catherine D’Amato fro

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about the Black Lives Matter protests, and whether they’re creating a false sense of security with regard to the ongoing pandemic.  Media maven Sue O’Connell talked about the president’s photo-op stunt in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, and whether she thinks it’ll have an impact on Trump supporters come November.  Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discussed the controversial New York Times op-ed from Ark. Sen. Tom Cotton, and read her weekly list of fixations and fulminations.  Food writer Corby Kummer talked about guidelines for reopening restaurants in Massachusetts, and the devastating impact of the pandemic on undocumented restaurant workers.  NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek discussed the blowback on NFL quarterback Drew Brees after recent statements about kneeling during the national anthem, and broke down the public dispute in the MLB over player salaries for the 2020 season.  Under the Radar host Callie Crossle