On Second Thought

Not too many indie bands can say they’ve gone strong for more than 20 years. Athens group Of Montreal is an exception. Founded by Kevin Barnes in the late 90s, the band has released 14 full length albums. Their 15th album, called "White Is Relic / Irrealis Mood," comes out on March 9th. We talk with Barnes about the vision behind this latest record. Of Montreal will perform at Savannah Stopover on March 10th, and in their hometown of Athens at the 40 Watt on March 22nd.

The Satanic Temple has been trying provide a secular alternative to traditional religion for over two decades. What is the mission of the Temple, and what are common misconceptions? The Atlanta Chapter is fighting to host an official after-school program in Cobb County schools. We talk to Atlanta Chapter head Fred Mephisto about the goals of his organization. Not too many indie bands can say they’ve gone strong for more than 20 years. Athens group Of Montreal is an exception. Founded by Kevin

You might not know his name, but you’ll definitely recognize his voice. Caroll Spinney plays the role of Big Bird on the Sesame Street, where he also does the voice of Oscar the Grouch. Spinney has been with the show since its inception in 1969. We re-visit a conversation we had with him in 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqWDjJRhCkc

For more than 40 years, Sonia Manzano lived on Sesame Street. She played Maria, who taught her young viewers some of life’s most important lessons. She also had a knack for storytelling. This week, Manzano comes to Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts. She is there for an event paying homage to the women of the Jim Henson Company . We talked to her about her fondest memories on Sesame Street. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4undkEwrvY&t=

Georgia saw some record low temperatures this winter. So some might be surprised to hear that 2017 was the warmest year on record for our state. Climate change is not well understood , and that’s partly because it’s so politicized. But that phrase does have a scientific meaning, totally separate from politics or punditry. And because people don’t seem to understand what climate change is or what it means, it’s time to break it down. Then, we dive deeper into some of the common mix-ups between

On Celeste Headlee’s final day as host of On Second Thought, we talked about an upcoming Atlanta event paying tribute to the heroines of Sesame Street. First, we re-visit a conversation we had in 2015 with Carrol Spinney, who plays Big Bird on Sesame Street. Then: for more than 40 years, Sonia Manzano lived on Sesame Street. She played Maria, who taught her young viewers some of life’s most important lessons. She also had a knack for storytelling. This week, Manzano comes to Atlanta’s Center for

The On Second Thought team says goodbye to Celeste Headlee, who ends her tenure as the show's host. In January, she announced that she was stepping down from the show , which she helped create. Celeste is moving back to Washington, DC to focus on writing her next book and guest hosting on NPR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1vskiVDwl4

One of the film’s up for an Oscar this weekend is one of the shortest. The Live Action Short Category features movies that only take a few minutes to tell a story, but still have enormous impact. “DeKalb Elementary” could take home the top prize. It’s based on a Georgia school shooting in 2013. We talked with the film’s writer and director, Reed Van Dyk. Video games are a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry. Still, women make up only 14 percent of people working in the gaming industry. On

Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts pays tribute this weekend to the women of the Jim Henson Company . Fran Brill of Savannah was the first female puppeteer Henson hired for Sesame Street. We talked with her about her long career on one of the most recognizable streets in America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v9hFWy86Ok&t=33s

Video games are a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry. Still, women make up only 20 percent of people working in the gaming industry. On top of that, most games these days are marketed to men and centered around very masculine protagonists. A new Atlanta-based game looks to challenge the stereotypes. “PrinceNapped” follows a gutsy female character on a quest to save a dude in distress. The game is produced by a mostly female team at Ker-Chunk Games in Norcross, Georgia. We talk with Ker