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 Buz Eisenberg 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), Crime & Punishment (John Pucci), DA David Sullivan, Writers Block (Megan Zinn), Science and Sensibility (Brian Adams), Community Action (Clare Higgins), Righting Wrongs (ACLUM Carol Rose), State Senators Comerford & Mark, Representatives Sabadosa, Blais, 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.
Author Authors!!
11/13/25: Northampton Author Rich Michelson on “Fannie’s Big Idea” (today is the 100th anniversary!). Author Thomas Suárez on “Palestine Mapped: From the River to the Sea in Early Geographic Thought” & his Nov 19 UMass talk. Amherst author Corinne Demas on her newest novel, “Daughters” Ruth Griggs: tomorrow’s Western Mass Arts Economic Impact Summit.
Keeping Council & Counsel
11/12/25: Amherst Counsel Pres Lynn Griesemer: local politics, rewilding & money. Patricia Lee Lewis: “Thorns of the Mesquite: …defiance, refuge and unyielding hope.” Arcadia’s new Sanctuary Mgr Maya Rappaport: birds, kids & sanctuaries. Larry Hott w/ Dr. Jon Hallberg: racism; ageing – beauty & relevance; war — prosthetics & Ukraine.
Shabazz Shazam
11/11/25: Rep Patricia Duffy: the shutdown & the deal. Safe Passage’s Natalie Ulrich & GSB’s Dir of Philanthropy Tara Brewster: the Hot Chocolate Run & tomorrow’s fundraiser. Mark Lee Gardner: “Brothers of the Gun: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday & a Reckoning in Tombstone.” Duke Goldman: gambling, an amazing World Series, the Dodgers & diversity.
The Fire This Time
11/10/25: Eric Reeves on the genocide in Sudan. Megan Zinn w/ Gish Jen on “Bad Bad Girl.” Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia on election results, new school(s) & big political fights. Prof Amilcar Shabazz w/Charles Walker-Hoover, Pres UMass NAACP chapter: this weekend’s fire & Friday’s protest.
Blaising Forward
11/7/25: Live from Elmer’s in Ashfield – Rep. Natalie Blais w/ Jillian Morgan (Food Bank of Western Mass) Kristen Tillona-Baker (the Mary Lyon Foundation) & Sheryl Stanton (Mohawk Trail School Super). Then, More Blais! w/ Lev Ben Ezra & Janna Tatreault (Community Action Pioneer Valley) and many others: combatting the SNAP cuts & providing food. Astronomer Salman Hameed on a visitor from another solar system. Art Beat w/ Amanda Herman (UMass Museum of Contemporary Art) w/ Liz Chalfin (Zea Mays Printmaking).
Education
11/6/25: Max Page w/ Harvard Grad School of Ed Prof & author Jal Mehta: “In Search of Deeper Learning.” Attorney Laura Pitter on food as a human right. Our House w/ Representative Jim McGovern. Ruth Griggs w/ Peter Hamelin of Signature Sounds & the Parlor Room Collective.
Talk the Talk on 11.5.25
11/5/25: Children’s Advoc Ctr Ex Dir Carol Conragan: child sexual abuse cases skyrocketing. Brian Adams w/ Smith’s Dir of Sustainability Beth Hooker: the College’s $210 million (!) geothermal project. Larry Hott w/ Mark Roessler, author of “Fairsted: …how (Frederick Law) Olmsted helped heal a fractured democracy” on” Olmsted Panoramic” – a multi-media & musical presentation — coming to AoM.
Resistance
11/4/25: Sen Paul Mark: SNAP, gov’t shutdown & resistance. Valley Light Opera’s Michael Budnick & Elaine Caine: “HMS Pinafore” at AoM this week—an operetta of resistance. Smith Prof Carrie Baker: “The Erosion of Women’s Rights Under Trump” & how we resist. Yakov Konrad, former councilor candidate: resisting toxic social media.
Elections
11/3/25: Stan Moulton, N’ton councilor: the high stakes tomorrow. Megan Zinn w/ local author Debra Jo Immergut on creativity, writing, teaching & portals. N’ton City Council Pres Alex Jarrett: the candidates he supports & why. Former N’ton City Council Pres Jim Nash: Main St redesign, POP & the future.
The Weekend Before
10/31/25: Max Page w/ Prof Sanjay Arwade on the need to pass the Drive Act. Candidate Garrick Perry for N’ton City Councilor. Candidate Tiffany Jewell for N’ton At-large School Comm. Ex Dir Geoff Naunheim of Franklin/Hampshire United Way: SNAP recipients need food NOW. Art Beat w/ Linda McInerney of Eggtooth Productions.
