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.
Security
5/7/26 (co-host Buz Eisenberg).
Food Bank of Western Mass Dev Dir Jillian Morgan: 40%-50% of people here are food insecure.
Mental Health Law Prof Frederick Vars: “Through the Fire: How People with Mental Illness Are Empowering Each Other,” his own hospitalizations, self-help groups, meds & hope.
Congressman Jim McGovern: the feds v Smith Coll, elections 2026 & the War in Iran.
All That Jazz w/ Ruth Griggs & bassist Matt Dwonszyk: Side of Jazz @Eastside Grill.
Life and Death
5/6/26 (co-host Brian Adams):
District Atty David Sullivan: the recent alleged murders at UMass & in Belchertown.
Tapestry Health’s Harm Reduction Program with Pedro Alvarez & Katy Lessard: savings lives in many ways, overcoming addiction.
Grow Food Northampton’s Helen Kahn (Tuesday Market Manager) & Aoma Muma (farmer of world veggies): passionate farming.
“The Revenge of the Electric Car” – bringing back the dead—who killed them and why? With Larry Hott and Greg Goff. And which car should you buy?
On the Mark
5/5/26 (co-host Amilcar Shabazz)
Sen Paul Mark: the Protect Act, time capsules & lottery money.
Jehann El-Bisi, the People’s Artist: political & prison art & art as a healing practice, update on Leonard Peltier.
Lisa Wong, S. Hadley Town Administrator: overrides, schools, cuts, taxes & MHC financial contributions.
Rep Aaron Saunders: ICE in Mass, the Quabbin, state PILOTS.
Why It’s Gotta Be
5/4/26 (co-host MHC Prof Kerstin Nordstrom)
Amherst School Super Dr Xiomara Herman: budgets, priorities, special ed & EVs.
Why It’s Gotta Be theater group’s Devin Dumas (Director) & Julia Adamo (actor) on “Legoland”-a dark comedy, coming to Easthampton’s City Space.
Kirsten interviews Bill on “Naming Truth’s Way,” & Bill interviews Kirsten on Hampshire College’s closing—its effect on MHC.
N’hmptn Mayor Gina Lousie Sciarra: Hampshire Pride & a new school superintendent.
Remnants and Echos
5/1/26: Fishwrap: Hampshire closing, Celts losing.
Community Action Pioneer Valley’s Lev Ben Ezra & Skylah Colon: food insecurity here & the Healthy Family Home Visitors Program.
Astronomer & Hampshire Prof Salman Hameed: the Trump Administration v Science & Save Hampshire—at least its ideals.
ArtBeat w/Donnabelle Casis & MHC prof Ligia Bouton: ‘The Remnant and the Echo.”
Take Pride
4/30/26 ( co-host Josh Silver):
Clay Pearson, Director of Hampshire Pride, on Saturday’s celebration and protest.
A political Fishwrap with Bill and Josh.
Jen Nery on “Let’s Go Downtown.”
Theresa Lynn and Sarah Penna from the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Mass:
the “Art & Soul” event.
Josh Silver: Trump’s poll numbers, SCOTUS’ decision yesterday & gerrymandering
Ruth Griggs w/ Paul Arslanian on his musical journey, last night’s concert and being honored as a Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association.
Keeping It Together
4/29/26 (co-host Brain Adams)
Amy Newshore, relationship coach: need help?
Lynn Hersey, Smith BBall Coach, & star player Hannah Martin: women’s sports and what it takes to win.
Gretchen Savenson from the Rich Earth Institute: Peecycling.
Larry Hott w/ Roger Sorkin on “The Burden” & “Tidewater:” fossil fuels & the military.
A Journey of 1,000 Miles begins with 10,000 Steps
4/28/26 (Co-host Amilcar Shabazz)
Reparations: a discussion w/ Dr Shabazz.
Sci-Tech Café: MHC Prof Kirsten Norstrom w/ UMass Kinesiology Prof Amanda Paluch: keep on walkin’.
Gfld City Council Pres Lora Wondolowski: health insurance costs, layoffs? Baystate nurses’ strike, a green city.
Duke Goldman: Why so few Black coaches in the NFL?
Swimming Against the Tide
7/27/26: Co Host: Megan Zinn
Tony Giardina w/ Francis DeBernardo: New Ways Ministry and Catholics for Inclusion.
Megan Zinn w/ Emma Copley Eisenberg: “Fat Swim.”
Prison Policy Initiative’s Mike Wessler: the Just Income Program & $445 billion/yr to lock people up.
Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman: Hampshire Coll closing, the budget & ed funding.
Hyperlocal
Hyperlocal
4/24/26: (Co-host Buz Eisenberg):
MTA Pres Max Page: bell to bell cell phone bans & controlling exploitive social media.
Rep Mindy Domb: a violent death at UMass & Hampshire College’s closing.
UMass Professor of Chinese History & Guggenheim Fellow (& NHS grad) Stephen Platt.
Fishwrap on Ruth Suyenaga’s powerful DHG and Recorder piece on ICE and internment camps.
Donnabelle Casis’ ArtBeat: the Easthampton Film Festival.
