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.
To Your Health
4/16/25: Jo Erwin, CEO, TransHealth: assault on the LGBTQ+ community’s health. Rebecca Todd, Ex Dir, Conn River Conservancy: the river’s future health after $11.5 million restoration funds frozen. Gfld City Council Pres Lora Wondolowski: the city’s fiscal health – school budget cuts? Larry Hott recommends “Street Fight”(Sen Cory Booker’s early years) & “Running with Beto” (Beto O’Rourke v. Ted Cruz).
Fore Thee I Sing
4/15/25: Rep Aaron Saunders: fighting cuts for kids’ mental health. Trustees of Reservations’ Wendy Ferris & Julie Richburg: rewilding Beaver Brook golf course. Comedy Quiz w/ Maddy Benjamin, Kim Sherman & Scott Braidman: revolutionary questions. Smith Prof Carrie Baker: resisting Trump’s attack on higher ed.
Write On
4/14/25: Heidi Stemple rocks the show: “The Poetry of Car Mechanics”— politics, writing, bullying & birds. Mass Review Ex Ed Britt Russert: brilliant artists, grim times & the hope of spring. Tom Weiner, co-author of “In Defiance: 20 Abolitionists You Were Never Taught in School.”
Civic Peace & Pie
4/11/25: MTA Pres Max Page & UMass Ed Prof Jack Schneider: DEI, lawsuits, & the Civics Summit. CT River Conservancy’s Nina Gordon-Kirsch: the relicensing battle — can we save the river? NYT best-selling graphic novelist Jarrett Krosoczka: the R.I.S.E Fest. Bombyx Exec Dir Cassandra Holden w/ Rachel Blackman, Coordinator of “Poetry and Pie.”
Local Life
4/10/25: N’hmtn-based Eric Reeves: the Darfur genocide, famine, and futility. E’hmpton mayoral candidate Lindsi Sekula: why run? 1st Franklin Rep. Natalie Blais: local roads, local farms and loco tariffs. Ruth Griggs w/ Amherst’s Drake Mgr Lincoln Allen: music for all.
Doctorate Women
4/9/25: Amherst Council Pres Lynn Griesemer (Ed D.): finances, schools, and library. Law prof Jill Hasday (J.D.) author of “We the Men: How Forgetting Women’s Struggles…Perpetuates Inequality.” Anne Dietrich (Ph.D. Sports Mgmt) w/ Brian Adams: sports & climate change. Betsy Leondar Wright (Ph.D. Sociology), ”Is It Racist, Is it Sexist?…”
“The Most Unkindest Cuts of All”
4/8/25: Rep Pat Duffy: Trump v. our state budget. Educ Collab Ex Dir Todd Gazda: budget cuts & the future of DEI in K-12. Hilltown Comm Dev Corp Ex Dir Dave Christopolis: lobbying the legis for rural communities. Baseball expert Duke Goldman: Red Sox & Yankees & Guerrero’s $500million contract.
Crisis & Comedy
4/7/25: UMass and Smith Prof Robert Weir: “The Marx Bros’ and America” — in Gfld tomorrow. Artist Mark Guglielmo: “Portraits of My People”: how Italians became White—at 33 Hawley. Duke Goldman: Trump’s judges, umpires and refs. Nhmtn Mayor GL Sciarra: a fiscal cliff?
Sunshine & Moonlight
4/4/25: MTA Pres Max Page: threats to education, some rays of sunshine. Comm Action PV Exec Dir Clare Higgins: the not-so-bad-yet effect of fed employee firings. Amy Fairchild & Lonesome Bros’ Ray Mason w/ organizers Robert Markey & Pam Cote: musical benefit for CA wildfire victims tomorrow. Astronomer Salman Hameed: NASA, the moon, & Musk. Donnabelle Casis w/ Jennifer Polins, Founding Art Dir, School for Contemporary Dance & Thought.
McGoverning
4/3/25: Human Rts Atty Laura Pitter: Trump using anti-terror laws to silence & punish critics. Martín Espada launching “Jailbreak of Sparrows” @ Raven Books, Shelburne Falls. Congressman Jim McGovern: Sen Cory Booker’s historic speech, “Hands Off” rallies, & tariffs. Ruth Griggs just named 2025 Jazz Hero by Jazz Journalist Ass’n.
