All Of It with Alison Stewart

Actor Jennifer Grey became a household name for her role as Baby in the now-classic film "Dirty Dancing." But her fame did not stop the widespread criticism of her appearance, leading to a plastic surgery that changed the course of Grey's career forever. Grey discusses this, her childhood as the daughter of Broadway legend Joel Grey, her rise to fame, and her attempts to redefine herself in her new memoir, Out of the Corner, which is available on May 3. She joins us to talk about her book.

Many women and girls with autism are overlooked by a medical community whose training to identify autism is based on the male medical gaze. Because they fail to get correctly diagnosed, women with autism are often identified as having anxiety, or depression, or a variety of other issues – meaning they never get the therapy they need that can help them navigate the world. Jacquie Benestante, executive director of the Autism Society of Texas, and Carly Ott, chair of the Council of Autistic Advisors for the Autism Society of America, join to discuss this issue and take your calls.  

Cargo e-bikes have become an increasingly popular sight in New York City streets since the pandemic began, especially amongst parents bringing their children to school, playdates, or just around the city. Kendra Hurley, freelance journalist and researcher, recently wrote about this cycling trend in an article for the New York Times called, "The Smallest New Yorkers Join the Pandemic Biking Surge," and she joins us to take your calls.

On May 1 at BAM, there will be a reimagining of Ornette Coleman's seminal 1959 album, The Shape of Jazz to Come, featuring an all-new Bang on a Can Orchestra including his son, drummer Denardo Coleman, as well as Jason Moran, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Lee Odom, Wallace Roney Jr. and special guest James “Blood” Ulmer —conducted by Awadagin Pratt. Six composers rearranged & rework tracks from The Shape of Jazz to Come to honor the six pieces on the album that established Coleman as one of America’s visionary musicians. Denardo Coleman joins us to preview the show.

The Brooklyn born and raised photographer Jamel Shabazz has been capturing the diverse characters of New York City streets for over 40 years, particularly joyous scenes of black and brown people in neighborhoods like Flatbush, Brownsville, and Harlem. Now, some of his work is on display at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, in an exhibit called, Jamel Shabazz: Eyes on the Street, which includes over 150 of Shabazz's photographs. Jamel Shabazz joins to discuss his career, his mission with his camera, and the exhibit, which is on view until September 4.

The latest film from acclaimed director Robert Eggers tells the story of a Viking prince (Alexander Skarsgard) who seeks to avenge the shocking murder of his father, killed when he was just a boy. Eggers joins us to discuss co-writing and directing the film, "The Northman," which is in theaters now.

The Head and the Heart just marked a decade last year since their debut album and now they're gearing up for more. Their fifth album, Every Shade of Blue, comes out this Friday. Band members Jonathan Russell and Charity Rose Thielen joins us for a Listening Party preview. The band will be at Pier 17 on June 6 and 7.

Little Ukraine has been a staple of the Lower East Side of Manhattan for over 100 years. While the neighborhood has far less residents with Ukrainian heritage than in the past, classic New York establishments like Veselka on 2nd Avenue and 9th Street serve as a reminder of the rich Ukrainian history in the community. Recently Christopher Bonanos, city editor for New York Magazine, wrote a cover story about the history of Little Ukraine, how much it's changed since the initial wave of Ukrainian immigrants settled in the area, and what the neighborhood means in the context of Russia's attack on Ukraine in the present day. Plus, we'll take your calls.

A new documentary and companion album celebrate one of America's greatest music cities: New Orleans. Directed by Martin Shore, the documentary "Take Me to the River: New Orleans" highlights the musical and cultural history of the city via interviews with The Neville Brothers, Big Freedia, PJ Morton, Ani DiFranco, and many more. The album of the same name arrives this Friday and features new music made for the film by many of those same artists. Shore and Ian Neville, son of Art Neville and member of the band Dumpstaphunk, join us.

Beloved author Emily St. John Mandel is back with a new novel, which is being celebrated as one of her best. She joins us to discuss Sea of Tranquility, which is a story of space, time travel, and history over the course of 500 years. We'll also discuss the recent, acclaimed television adaptation of her novel Station Eleven.