Boston Public Radio Podcast

Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses the FDA moving to ban some food dyes and RFK Jr.'s MAHA agenda. He also discusses a free grocery store in Maryland and Megan Markle’s new jelly endeavor. Danielle Holley is the President of Mount Holyoke College and joins to talk about the role of higher-ed leaders in the era of Trump 2.0. She’s been outspoken about resisting federal pressure and said she’d rather forgo federal contracts than abolish DEI practices. Love Letters columnist Meredith Goldstein ponders the relationship status of Paul Revere and dishes some advice for a woman whose partner likes to go on dates to Costco. The NAACP's Michael Curry joins to discuss recent headlines around healthcare & racial justice, including the latest on the Steward Healthcare case.

BPR Full Show 4/23: Don't Say Please & Thank You

Today: Embrace Boston’s Imari Paris Jeffries and Jenee Osterheldt of the Globe’s “A Beautiful Resistance” series and Everyone 250 join ahead of a major rally happening this Saturday to protest racial injustice happening on the federal level, while also commemorating 60 years since Martin Luther King Jr. led a very similar Freedom Rally here in Boston. And, some very funny figures in Boston’s comedy world join us ahead of a show at the Regent in Arlington tonight: Tony V, Lenny Clarke, Frank Santorelli and director Jordan Tofalo join us to talk about comedy.

Today: Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan College, was one of the first university presidents to stand up to federal pressure from the Trump Administration. We discuss the growing chorus following in his footsteps. And, a mother-son duo for the latest iteration of our segment “How Do You Two Know Each Other?” with Marianne Hughes, the first Executive Director with the Interaction Institute for Social Change, and documentary filmmaker Brendan Hughes -- whose podcast, "Divine Intervention" is out now.

Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University, discusses his 'case against cowardice' in the face of Trump's attacks on higher education. Brian McGrory, head of BU journalism, discusses the local reaction to the Pope's death, the latest with Steward Healthcare suing to claw back money from former vendors, and conservative radio callers voicing their displeasure of Trump's tariffs. Marianne Hughes, executive director of the Interaction Institute for Social Change and her son, Brendan Patrick Hughes, documentary filmmaker and podcaster, join for How Do You Two Know Each Other? Lynne Montesanto, publisher of Boston Magazine, discusses this year's Most Influential Bostonians list. CNN's John King discusses the Pope's death, the Supreme Court ruling on deportations, and more national headline

Today: Former Massachusetts public safety secretary Andrea Cabral discusses a federal judge holding the Trump administration in contempt over its defiance – The administration refuses to return a man wrongly deported to El Salvador. Then we talk about higher education with the College Uncovered podcast team, GBH’s Kirk Carapezza and the Hechinger Report’s Jon Marcus. Season 4 is out now.

Local woman Sue O'Connell hosts with Margery while Jim slithers somewhere in Cambridge. Political analyst and podcaster Chuck Todd is back for his Thursday D.C. news roundup. Former Suffolk County sheriff Andrea Cabral on the DOJ suit against Maine for its trans high school athletes laws. Plus, why a federal immigration judge denied bond for Rumeysa Ozturk. GBH education reporter Kirk Carapezza and The Hechinger's Report Jon Marcus join to celebrate the season four of “College Uncovered.” MIT economist Jon Gruber explains the trade war between the U.S. and China and why Trump’s 125% tariffs could make things a lot worse before they get better.

Today: National security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses the normalization of political violence; and calls for the Trump administration to show proof of life for the man wrongly deported to an El Salvador mega-prison. Michael Curry, CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, discusses the health and medical impacts of the federal administration's decision to pause more than $2 billion in contracts and grants to Harvard.

Michael Curry joins via zoom to discuss the federal funding freeze impacts on medical research and healthcare in Mass, and Healey's budget request for cuts to mental health. Juliette Kayyem discusses the attack on PA Gov Josh Shapiro, and normalized violence; Harvard's defiance; plus, DHS staffers given lie detector tests over alleged leaks. Christopher Kimball discusses Milk Street's latest Italian cookbook "Backroads Italy" Boston Globe's Shirley Leung discusses the threats to Boston's biotech industry under Trump 2.0; and the families on child-care vouchers waiting more than a year for care.

Today: We check back in with local Black entrepreneurs Rose Staram and Ricardo Pierre Louis on today's environment for BIPOC-owned businesses -- both had secured major contracts two years ago when Boston hosted the NAACP’s national convention. And, legendary filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein discuss their six-part, 12 hour docu-series coming this fall: “The American Revolution"

Filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein join to discuss their American Revolution series, premiering later this year. We check back in with Rose Staram (RoseMark Production) and Ricardo Pierre Louis (Prive Parking) two local business owners we've spoken with since the NAACP convention in Boston around the city's contracting policies as it relates to people of color. Sports authority Trenni Casey zooms in to discuss Rory McIlroy winning the Masters, the Boston Marathon field, NBA playoffs. CNN's John King zooms in for the latest national political headlines.

Today: Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner discusses the Trump administration’s defiance of a court order to return the wrongfully deported Abrego Garcia – still locked up in a mega prison in El Salvador. Meanwhile, in the Oval Office, Trump welcomed El Salvadoran president Bukele with open arms. And, Princeton’s Khalil Gribran Muhammad discusses which schools are standing up and which schools are rolling over for Trump, while news breaks of Harvard's intention to defy Trump's demands.

Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses the hollowing out of middle-class restaurant and how local restaurants are grappling with tariffs. Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner discusses the legal battle over the mistakenly deported man Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther discusses the sexy clowns of Montreal and the growing number of Americans applying for dual citizenship. Princeton professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad discusses Trump's attack on the Smithsonian as an attempt to erase Black history, and the latest on Harvard University vs. the Trump Administration.

It's Live Music Friday with the Music Inclusion Ensemble, ahead of their year-end show at the Berklee Performance Center. We talk with founder Adrian Anantawan, singer/songwriter/disability rights advocate Gaelynn Lea and violist Connor Valcy. NBC Boston's Sue O’Connell on the second Karen Read trial jury selection and the toxic online discourse that still surrounds the case. Lyndia Downie of the Pine Street Inn joins to celebrate the opening of a new affordable housing center aptly named… “The Lyndia.” She's joined by the building's architect, Eric Robinson, to talk about Beacon Hill’s latest efforts to boost the shelter system and combat homelessness as federal funds dry up. BU disinformation researcher Joan Donovan talks about how billionaires like Zuckerberg and Musk are laying the groundwork for oligarchy, AI’s promise and pitfalls and her role in recent peaceful Tesla protests.

BPR Full Show 4/10: AITA For Not Sharing My Location?

Today: National security expert Juliette Kayyem offers a risk assessment for international college students – and anyone planning on traveling outside the country – as the Trump administration ramps up visa revocations. Plus, auditor Diana DiZoglio is still trying to deliver on the overwhelmingly voter-supported legislation that would authorize her to audit the legislature.

GBH executive arts editor Jared Bowen discusses "It's A Motherf**king Pleasure" at ArtsEmerson and "Don't Eat The Mangos" at the Huntington. Harvard national security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses the Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants and the crusade against free speech concerning Palestinian support on college campuses. It's a Passover panel with Mamaleh's co-founders Rachel Miller-Munzer and Rachel Sundet, plus Lehrhaus co-founder Rabbi Charlie Schwartz. State auditor Diana DiZoglio discusses constitutional concerns about the voter-backed legislation that would let her office audit the legislature.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joins for Ask The Mayor. Then NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Trenni Casey discusses an NCAA $2.8 billion settlement, the Red Sox Mookie Betts trade getting Trump's attention and the Women's Final Four. CNN's John King zooms in for the latest national political headlines. Plus, Andris Nelsons & Chad Smith of the Boston Symphony Orchestra join ahead of a Friday Yo-Yo Ma performance of the works of Shostakovich.

Anand Giridharadas of The Ink newsletter discusses national politics & this weekend's protests across the country Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner discusses Trump's third term talk and the latest on cases before the Supreme Court. Fiona Hill, senior fellow at Brookings and was the senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council during Trump's first administration on what has/hasn't changed. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discuss the decline of empathy as a valued trait in certain faith communities

Today: Fiona Hill has spent decades studying Putin and Russia – both as a scholar and as a US intelligence official – serving in George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump administrations. She discusses the shift in foreign policy agenda in the first few weeks of Trump's second administration, and threats to Democracy worldwide.