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.
Fire and Light
11/24/25: Dr. Xiomara Herman, Amherst School Super: the school counselor controversy, LGBTQ rts & the middle school. Megan Zinn w/ Amanda Jones, who is “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America.” UMass Prof Amilcar Shabazz w/ Maurice “Soulfighter” Taylor: poetry, rap & comm healing. Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman: the huge fire, Amherst College’s $ contributions to town, lighting the Merry Maple.
Not Pulp Not Fiction
11/21/25: MTA Pres Max Page w/ SEIU MA Political Dir Harris Gruman: the looming ballot question. Rep Lindsay Sabadosa: schools & money. Amherst prof Austin Sarat on Epstein, Trump’s power & political executions. Josh Silver on “Age of Disclosure” — aliens? Donnabelle Casis w/ Pulp Gallery’s Dean Brown: the amazing spiritual work of Adam Gurvitch & Andrea Dezso.
Following Up Up & Away
11/20/25: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk: 2025 flu & covid vaccines — risks & rewards. DHG & Recorder Ex Ed Dan Crowley: follow-up stories on the Amherst fire, E’ton new Mayor’s first decisions, & food trucks in N’ton? Rabbi Riqi Kosovske: bringing Torahs to Ireland, addressing antisemitism. John Anz w/ brilliant vocalist Stella Cole: her upcoming holiday show at Tanglewood.
Peaks
11/19/25: Young@Heart Chorus’ Bob Cilman, Orlando Isaza & Caroline McDonald: “Ten-Alarm Fire: We Will Not Shut Up!” Ellsberg Initiative’s Chris Appy and Farai Chidea: “How to Read America.” Community Action’s Energy Program Dir Peter Wingate: staying warm. “Between The Mountain and the Sky” with filmmakers Larry Hott & Jeremy Power Regimbal and the protagonist, Nepal-based Maggie Doyne.
Good Fights
11/18/25: Rep. Aaron Saunders: today’s vote on more money ($2.5 Billion) for education. Hadley School Super Annie McKenzie: constructing a school budget. Happier Valley Comedy stars Scott Braidman, Maddy Benjamin & Lynn Curry: a quiz on board games. Feminist Future — Smith profs, activists & authors Carrie Baker w/ Loretta Ross: the fight for abortion access.
Stopping By
11/17/25: Alex (Sasha) Werth: “On Loop—Black Sonic Politics in Oakland” and his multi-media book performance! Megan Zinn w/ Sacha Lamb, N.E. Book Award winner, on “The Forbidden Book.” Salem Derby stops by the studio on his way to being sworn in as Easthampton’s Mayor. Adam Hinds, CEO, Edward Kennedy Inst. for U.S. Senate: the gov’t shutdown, the filibuster & the future.
What We Want You to Know
11/14/25: UMass Profs Steve Sireci (Dir, Ctr for Educ Assessment) & Max Page (MTA Pres): what tests make sense. Lt-Col John Paradis(ret), Catie Foertsch (Dir), Tommy Furlong (Ex Prod) : the film “What I Want You to Know”- about our veterans and our wars. Nell Bernstein, author of “In Our Future We are Free—the Dismantling of the Youth Prison—an Astonishing Story of Resistance and Change.” Melanie Slabaugh: the upcoming story slam at Bombyx. ArtBeat w/Donnabelle Casis and William Baczek: “The Road Not Taken” –an extraordinary exhibit of Chie Yosii’s work.
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.
