Journalist Elaine Sciolino. She covered Iran for some 20 years for Newsweek and the New York Times. Her new book “Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran” (Free Press) was just released last month. It illustrates the culture of Iran: its press, its movie industry, its restaurants and homes. She speaks today on Iran’s political position during the Middle East crisis. She is a Senior Writer at the Washington bureau for the New York Times. She lives in Washington, D.C.
Singapore’s first prime minister and its current senior minister-- Lee Kuan Yew. A very controversial figure, Lee Kuan Yew formed the People’s Action Party, and won the first Singapore general election in 1959. Since it was granted independence in 1965, Singapore has gone from British colony to Asian economic powerhouse. Yet, its government is often criticized for being too authoritarian and weak on civil liberties. Lee Kuan Yew will talk about his country’s economic success, as well as the criticism about his government’s treatment of its citizens.
Journalist Stan Sesser. He covers the Pacific Rim for The New Yorker. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, the New Republic and Mother Jones. Sesser has written extensively about Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew.
Journalist Robert Sullivan. His first book, “The Meadowlands” (now in paperback) an urban adventure in the wilds of the marshy dumping area between New Jersey and New York was praised for its wit, imagination and intelligence. His new book “A Whale Hunt” (Scribner) chronicles the two years he spent watching the Makah Indian tribe in Washington state as they prepared for and attempted their first whale hunt in over 70 years. But they didn’t do it alone: they were surrounded by angry protestors and hounded by the press.
Comedian and actor Tim Meadows. Meadows was a regular on TV’s Saturday Night Live for some 9 years. Leon the Ladies Man, a swingin’ politically incorrect radio love doctor that he played on the show, is now featured in the new film “The Ladies Man.” Meadow recently left SNL to co-star in the new comedy “The Michael Richards show” which premieres Tuesday, October 24th.
TV Critic David Bianculli reviews the season premiere of “Ally Mc Beal” and the premiere of the new show, Boston Public. Both shows air on FOX and both were created by David E. Kelley.
We remember dancer Gwen Verdon. She died today at the age of 75. She became an overnight Broadway sensation in 1953 as a dancer in Can Can, for which she won her first Tony Award. Later she created her most memorable roles in Bob Fosse's "Damn Yankees" as the seductress Lola, "Sweet Charity" as the taxi dancer Charity, and "Chicago" as the chorus girl Roxie. Verdon was also Fosse's third wife. (ORIGINAL BROADCAST from 5/5/93)
A talk about the Israeli/Palestinian crisis, and the history leading up to it with two journalists: first, Danny Rubinstein (“steen”), columnist and member of the editorial board of the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. We talk with a Jordanian journalist in the second half of the show.
Singer Songwriter Dion. He’s just released a new record of doo-wop tunes “Deja Nu” (Collectables 2000). In the late 1950s, Dion and his band the Belmonts topped the chart with several pop hits, earning him the status of “teen idol”. Dion split amicably with the band in 1960 and continued to write Top 10 hits until the British Invasion changed the pop preference. Now, in his 50s, he continues to produce, write and sing new material. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida.
Church leader and gospel singer Reverend Al Green. He’s just published a new biography called “Down by the River” (Harper Entertainment) detailing the trip from R&B stardom to Reverend. Presiding over his own Pentecostal church in Memphis for the last 20 years, Green recently returned to the recording studio to record a set of gospel songs. A popular culture icon, he’s had cameo roles in movies and TV shows. He lives in Memphis, Tenn.
National Correspondent for The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof and Times Foreign Correspondent Sheryl Wudunn. The two won a Pulitzer prize for their coverage of the Tiananmen Square. They’ve collaborated on the new book, “Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia” (Knopf)
AIDS researcher Timothy Wright and his brother, criminologist Richard Wright. In 1995, Timothy Wright was in Bolivia conducting AIDS related research. Then during Mardi Gras festivities, Wright was assaulted, robbed, and suffered a severe brain injury. In the years since, his brother, Richard helped Timothy in his recovery. We talk to both brothers about Timothy’s injury and dramatic recovery. The story of Timothy’s recuperation is chronicled in a book written by Helene Wright, Timothy and Richard's mother. Its called Someone Stole Yesterday (Providence House Publishers).
Journalist and novelist George Packer. Packer grew up in a family with a very strong liberal tradition; his grandfather was a populist congressman from Alabama in the early part of the century. His father was a Jewish Kennedy-era liberal who was a professor at Stanford. His new book, the Blood of the Liberals (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), is a memoir about his family’s liberalism and Packer’s own coming to terms with it. He looks at the history of liberalism in America, and the clashes it caused in his own family.
