8 O'Clock Buzz

In what has become a Valentine’s Day tradition, Madison Shakespeare Company, busts out love .. and hate.. scenes from Shakespeare for A Valentine’s Affair 2020.  The cabaret-style show will hit the stage at the Brink Lounge Thursday, February 13 and the Crucible on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15th. Joining us in the studio are performers Jason Compton and Laura Kochanowski.

On Wednesday, February 5th, Donald Trump became the third U.S. President to be impeached by the House of Representatives but acquitted in the Senate.  With Utah Senator Mitt Romney the sole Republican dissenter, the Senate voted 52-48 to acquit Trump on charges of abuse of power, and a strict party line vote of 53-47 to acquit on charges of obstruction of Congress.  Although the verdict was never in doubt, and no witnesses took the stand, the Senate trial was not without drama and perhaps, some historical precedent. Joining the Buzz on February 10, 2020 with a recap, is University of Wisconsin political scientist, Eleanor Neff Powell.

Jerome Dillard talks with David Liners, State Director of WISDOM, and Ramiah Whiteside, community organizer for that organization. WISDOM is a multi-faith organization which works on immigrant rights, criminal justice reform, and promoting public transportation, and support of incarcerated people. Today they talk about prison gerrymandering, closing the Green Bay Correctional Institute, and a support meeting.

“Next Fall“, by Geoffrey Nauffts takes a witty and provocative look at faith, commitment and unconditional love. While the play’s central story focuses on the five-year relationship between Adam and Luke with sharp humor and unflinching honesty, it goes beyond a typical love story.  Stage Q Theater stages their production of Next Fall at the Bartell Theater through February 8th. Actor Paul Lorentz, who plays Adam, joined the Monday Buzz on February 3, 2020.

Farmers and ranchers tend not to like large carnivorous animals like wolves, bears and lions.  With thousands of years of selective breeding to turn them into slow, docile creatures, domestic livestock are often easy pickings for wild carnivores.   Economic loss turn leads to human resentment which leads to retaliation and extermination of the predators, which can have cascading effects on delicate ecosystems.  New academic work suggests that we can teach cows how to be more like their wild forbears to defend themselves against predators.  Naomi Louchouarn, a graduate student with the University of Wisconsin’s Carnivore Coexistence Lab, who’s been studying cows in Alberta, Canada.  Louchouarn joined the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz on February 3, 2020.

Nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin college students have outstanding student loans.  Total loans totalled a staggering 24 billion dollars in 2018, for an average of $31,700 per student — one of the highest averages in the country.   All that money spent on student loans means money that students can’t spend elsewhere, such as on housing or food. On January 29, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers launched a task force to recommend ways the state can help chip away at these mountains of debt.  Is it enough? One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne joined the Monday 8 O’Clock Buzz on February 3, 2020.

Madison musician Josh Cohen is fighting a unique battle for the right to amplification. A City of Madison ordinance limits the use of amplification for musicians — but Cohen says that infringes on his right to express himself. Cohen sat down with Friday Buzz host Jonathan Zarov on January 31 to talk about his ongoing trial against the city.

Despite growing trends in the country for prison reform with less incarceration, the Wisconsin legislature is proposing 9 bills which would increase the number of prisoners in the state. Jerome Dillard from Ex-Po talks with Sean Wilson and Emilio DeTorre from the ACLU of Wisconsin about these bills and an organized protest and discussions with legislators which will happen today and tomorrow.

Photo: Vijay Kumar Koulampet

The City of Madison and its boosters spend a lot of money and time singing the praises of the city’s arts and culture scene.  Supporters point out that Madison punches above its weight for arts for a city its size, the City continues to put substantial subsidies into the Overture Center, and the Chamber of Commerce likes to talk about the dollars generated in the economy from arts activities.  But how much of that economy finds its way back to the artists who produce the culture we all celebrate. Recently, Equity for Artists have started fighting back against the “do it for free” attitude that sadly pervades art expectations, and have had some success. Artists Jenie Gao and Jennifer Bastian joined the Monday Buzz on January 27, 2020.

Since it opened its doors in 2015, Art In has served as a sort of collaborative club house for Madison performing and visual artists.  In the dark, open space of the former “Great Big Pictures” photography studio on East Washington Avenue that he inherited from his family, owner Jack Chandler has hosted a variety of musical, theatrical and visual arts events.  The venue tried to foster a community among up-and-coming and experimental local artists. All good things must come to an end, however, and Chandler has announced that he will close the venue at the end of February. Jack Chandler joined host Brian Standing on Monday, January 27, 2020.