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.
In the Money
1/6/25: Sen Jo Comerford: bracing for Trump, newly passed bills, & 2025 priorities. Hamp Mayor GL Sciarra: municipal money, capital Improvements — SEXY! & the Main St. Project. Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Recorder columnist & former Chair, Gfld Human Rts Comm: surviving dark times well. Megan Zinn w/ romance novel legend Loretta Chase: “My Inconvenient Duke.”
Under Oath
1/3/25: MTA Pres Max Page: change K-12 funding & other 2025 priorities. Bill & Buz: the meaning of the oath that Congress takes today. Donnabelle Casis w/ New England Visionary Artists Museum Co-directors Michael Tillyer & Susan Foley. Community Action’s Claire Higgins on Housing in Place. Human Rights Attorney Laura Pitter: the issue is genocide.
Darkness & Light
1/2/25: Rep Jim McGovern: terror in New Orleans & scary stuff in Washington. Rabbi Riqi Kosovske & JM Sorrell on “We Will Dance Again: Surviving October 7th,” a film about the Hamas massacre. Ed Orzechowski & Darlene Volpe on “Becoming Darlene: The Story of Belchertown Patient #3394.” Ruth Griggs w/ Director Jeff Olmsted: Valley Jazz Voices & the January 12 concert.
Auld Friends
12/31/24: First Night archguitarist Peter Blanchette plays live in the studio. Bill gives Buz & Dan a 2024 political quiz – they flunk (but still impress Newman). From GCC –science prof Brian Adams w/ Natural Resources Coordinator Tony Reiber: New Year’s resolutions for the earth. Hampshire Prof of Peace & World Security Studies Michael Klare on Jimmy Carter, Ukraine & NATO.
Loss & Found
12/30/24: Amherst School Superintendent Dr. Xiomara Herman: wrapping her arms around her job.
Bill Dwight: a trip down memory lane — Pleasant St. Video, the removal of Main St. benches & Jimmy Carter remembered. Megan Zinn’s favorite reads of 2024.
Time to ReBelle
12/27/24: Rep Mindy Domb: this week’s big legislative victory. MTA Pres Max Page: 2024’s top ten Mass. education stories. Amherst Coll Prof Austin Sarat: Biden’s death row commutations & democracy (?) under Trump. First Night performers Kalpana Devi & Manou Africa of ReBelle.
On ICE
12/26/24: Hampshire Co. Sheriff Pat Cahillane on ICE enforcement. Rev. Carole Bull: Jesus, the Archangel & the manger. UMass Isenberg School prof Anna Nagurney: Trump, tariffs & tradeoffs. Remembering some who passed in 2024.
Tones
12/24/24: First Night: The Northamptones sing the Beatles. Astronomer Salman Hameed: flying fast across the universe — not Santa, a NASA probe. Political expert Josh Silver: a silver lining in Trump’s victory? Duke Goldman: Rickey Henderson & the Hall of Fame. Santa Claus stops by the studio.
Heri za Kwanzaa!
12/23/24: Afro-Am Prof Amilcar Shabazz & Ayanna Crawford: what, why & where is Kwanzaa? Local musical icon Ray Mason: First Night Rocks! Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman: building a library, the middle school & CRESS– alternatives to police responses. Megan Zinn’s “Whatcha Readin?” w/ Mo Turner — writer, editor & journalism instructor.
Fire & Rain
12/20/24: Rep Lindsay Sabadosa: mental health on Beacon Hill; MTA Pres Max Page: MCAS as grad req’mt — again? New Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren: fire & ambulance mutual aid among our cities & towns. EM Kennedy Inst CEO Adam Hinds: the ghost of gov’t shutdowns past.




