Podcasts: Talk The Talk

Talk The Talk

Weekdays 8:00 -10:00 a.m. EST; rebroadcast 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. EST

Bill Newman and Friends host newsmakers, activists, authors, & artists – including:

Mayors Monday(Northampton, Holyoke, Easthampton) & Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman, Salman Hameed’s Universe, the Comedy Quiz, Black In the Valley (Professor Amilcar Shabazz) Political Gold (Josh Silver), Our House (Congressman Jim McGovern), DA David Sullivan, Writers Block (Megan Zinn), Science and Sensibility (Brian Adams), Righting Wrongs (ACLUM Carol Rose), State Senators Comerford & Mark, Representatives Sabadosa, Duffy, & Domb, ArtBeat (Donnabelle Casis), Cool Films (Larry Hott), Feminist Futures (Carrie Baker), Talkin’ Baseball & Fair Play (Duke Goldman), Your State U (MTA Pres. Max Page) All That Jazz (Ruth Griggs & John Anz), Exec. Editor, DHG & Gfld Recorder, Dan Crowley.  

Blowing in the Wind

Blowing in the Wind
4/8/26: Amherst Town Councilor Lynn Greismer: fires, housing & volunteer boards.
The Academy of Music’s Melanie Slabaugh on the “Let’s Hear It” campaign.
Hamp’s Asst Dir, Planning & Sustainability, Sarah LaValley & Mass Audubon’s Tom Lautezenheiser: rewilding the Pine Grove Golf Course.
Larry Hott on “Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan” and “Summer of Soul.”

Transparent Marks

Transparent Marks
4/7/26: Sen Paul Mark: the supplemental budget vote tomorrow & more $ for education.
Best-selling author Nathan Edmondson: “The Master: A Novel of Golf and Death.”
MTA Pres Max Page w/ Matthew Scheffler: investing $130 billion—the public employees pension fund, its benchmarks, & the fight for transparency.
Professors Amilcar Shabazz & Idris Robinson: the Black experience in America today.

The Forest and the Trees

The Forest and the Trees

4/6/26: Treehouse’s Erica Couster (CEO) & Lynn Muth (community member) & Tara Brewster GSB VP & Dir of Philanthropy: foster care, community & the Runway 5K.
Cammie McGovern: “The last Letters of Sally and Walter”— love in a retirement community.
MHC Visiting Fellow in Creative Writing Mariah Rigg: “Extinction Capital of the World.”
Northampton Mayor GL Sciarra: the school budget & Picture Main Street.

Western Mass Business Show on 4.4.26 – Angela Park

Join us as we speak with Angela Park the Executive Director of 52 Sumner in Springfield. They are a 501(c)(3) performing arts venue. They want to bring the arts back in a more accessible way to Springfield. In their building, they have the Springfield Community Theatre of Massachusetts and can rent the venue out to a variety of places, activities, and events. From weddings to concerts to fundraisers, they are drawing from a wide geographic area and creating economic development for the region. Cofounder Dan Mckellick was also instrumental in getting this project off the ground. The attractiveness of 52 Sumner is that they are an accessible and easy venue to engage with, there is free parking and easy on and off the highway with police escorts to cross the street into the venue. Listen in as we hear of upcoming shows, and the stories of what it takes to create something new for the community that you love. www.52sumner.com

Play Among the Stars

Play Among the Stars 4/3/26: MTA Pres Max Page: school funding & tax cutting. Community Action Pioneer Valley’s Lev Ben…

Laughing Matters

4/2/26: Hilary Price, Kelsey Flynn, Kelly Silliman & Ginny Mayer:” A Laugh a Day Keeps Despair Away.” Professors Colin Gleason…

No Foolin’ Around

No Foolin’ Around
4/1/26: DA David Sullivan & Kara McElhone, Ex Dir, Children’s Advocacy Center – Hamp Co: April is Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention Month.
Historic Deerfield’s Lauren Whitley & Phillippa Pitts: “Picturing and Dressing the Revolution.”
Sal the Salamander, Woody the Wood Frog, Pete the Peeper & Brian Adams: crossing over.
Pam Victor, Head of Happiness @ Happier Valley Comedy: Yes And.

Insights

Insights 3/31/26: Dr. Xiomara Herman, Amherst School Super, on time-outs, restraints &  the Blue Room. ACLU Mass Ex Dir Carol…

Salem Derby

A Suite of Choices

A Suite of Choices

3/30/26: David Roitman (Co-Lead, UU Democracy Action Team) & Prof Danielle Allen on “Reimagining Democracy,” abolishing partisan primaries, legislators’ stipends, applying the Public Records Law to them & same day voter reg.  

Megan Zinn’s Writers Block w/ Jessica Brilliant Keener: “Evening Begins the Day.”

Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby: No Kings, Mount Tom, antisemitism in schools—the City’s response & DESE’s report, the budget, schools & an impending override?  

Rob Weir: “7 Swings at 7: Mickey Mantle—Legend and Victim of American Culture.

Healing & Protest

Healing & Protest
3/27/26: Dr. David Gottsegen: “Mending the Body with the Mind: Harnessing Kids’ Superpowers to Heal and Stay Healthy.”
Rep. Mindy Domb: protecting immigrants in Mass and No Kings.
Atty Chris Swartz from Democracy Defenders: Trump’s crimes, the Epstein files, the Law of War, & the family now $4.5 BILLION richer.
ArtBeat — Donnabelle Casis w/ Donna Costellanos: “Book of Wonder, Cover to Cover.”

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