Radio Times

Guests: Jacqueline Woodson

JACQUELINE WOODSON said she wanted to be a writer ever since she was 7 years old. She did just that and has gone to be a prolific writer, with over 30 books under her belt.  She’s written picture books for young children, fiction for young adults, poetry, and a National Book award-winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, a story told in verse about growing up as an African American in the 1960s South.  Now she’s come out with her second adult novel, Another Brooklyn.  The narrator, August, is an anthropologist looking back at her childhood in New York borough of Bushwick in the 1970s. Woodson said she mined her teenage years for the book that’s about the deep bond between four girls navigating their adolescence amid the lure and dangers of their neighborhood.

Guests: Steven Schlozman, Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, Marrianne Beltle, Brandon Gorin, Ronald Metellus, Rachel Fogletto

Are killer clowns coming to your town?  A recent wave of creepy clown sightings has struck fear into communities from South Carolina to Pennsylvania, to upstate New York.  They have committed no crimes but their presence is unsettling. We’ll talk about many of us are unnerved by clowns.  STEVEN SCHLOZMAN, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, joins us to explain.  We’ll then turn to a gigantic flaming hole in the Turkmenistan desert and ancient zip lines in the Andes Mountains, two of the entries in a new book called “Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders.” We’ll listen to Radio Times producer Elizabeth Fiedler’s interview with two of the authors, JOSHUA FOER and ELLA MORTON. Then, producer Jon Ehrens explores the nuances of comedy “open-mics” in Philadelphia. Jon speaks with comedy newcomer MARRIANNE BELTLE, and more seasoned open-mic performers BRANDON GORIN, RONALD METELLUS, and RACHEL FOGLETTO.

Guests: Julian Zelizer, Molly Ball, Matthew Kerbel

The Vice-Presidential hopefuls took the stage last night at Longwood University in Virginia. Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine debated the issues and defended their running mates. Vice-Presidential debates are known to have little influence on elections, so did Tuesday’s match move any minds? This hour, we’ll look at how the VP candidates performed, the issues they tackled, and how well they bolstered their running mates. We’ll also look back at some of historical VP contests. Marty’s guests are JULIAN ZELIZER, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, MOLLY BALL, politics writer for the Atlantic, MATTHEW KERBEL, professor of political science at Villanova University.

Guests: Janet Rosenzweig and Frank Cervone

Imagine this: You’re in a store shopping and hear the cries of a 5 year old. Coming down the aisle, you see her hair’s wrapped around the shopping cart and a man is dragging her through the store while she pleads with him to stop. Should you confront the man? Or call the police? A recent incident in a Texas Walmart has prompted many people to ask what constitutes child abuse or neglect and whether it’s appropriate to intervene. In this hour, we’ll get answers from JANET ROSENZWEIG, the Vice President of Research and Programs at Prevent Child Abuse America and FRANK CERVONE, the Executive Director of the Support Center for Child Advocates, an organization that provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia County.

Guests: Cheryl Ann Wadlington, Shaleah Sutton, Robin Stevens

Young women of color face a lot of challenges: from body shaming and bullying to preparing for college and breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. In this hour of Radio Times we’ll talk with three women who are leading the way by helping teens of color in Philadelphia build their self-esteem and grow into strong, successful women. Marty will be joined in-studio by CHERYL ANN WADLINGTON, the founder of the Philadelphia nonprofit “Evoluer House.” She was  recently named a “Champion of Change for Extracurricular Enrichment for Marginalized Girls” by the White House. We’ll also be joined by SHALEAH SUTTON, the founder of the annual Uniquely You Summit, and by ROBIN STEVENS, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing who also directs Penn's Social Media & Health Innovation Lab.

Guest: Bill Lyon

Three years ago, retired Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer BILL LYON received news that he had Alzheimer’s disease. So, Lyon decided to write an on-going column that documents his experiences with his dementia, which he intends to write until he no longer can. Lyon has given his disease the nickname, “Al,” and says he wants to kick “Al’s ass”. We’ll hear host Mary Cummings-Jordan talk with Lyon about living with “Al,” and how he manages living with a deteriorating mind. We’ll then hear from DR. JASON KARLAWISH, Lyon’s doctor about new treatments, and FELICIA GREENFIELD, who about the resources and options for caregivers.

Guests: Michael Corkery, Lynne Andersson

The recent behavior at Wells Fargo Bank has again brought into question the ethics of big banks.  The company put pressure on low level staff to meet sales quotas which resulted in the creation of thousands of fake accounts being created in customers’ names. Their CEO was fined more than $40 million and was asked to answer to a congressional committee on Thursday.  Today on the show, we’ll discuss just what happened at Wells Fargo, what the repercussions will be for their actions, and the ethics of big banking.  We’ll be joined by MICHAEL CORKERY, financial reporter for The New York Times and by LYNNE ANDERSSON, professor of human resources at Temple University who specializes in corruption and corporate culture.

Guests: Patrick McGeehan, Joe Martin and Ryan Hutchins

The fatal train crash in Hoboken, NJ last week shocked many train travelers and raised questions about safety and appropriate mass transportation funding. We’ll start by getting the latest on the crash and the investigation from The New York Times reporter PATRICK McGEEHAN. Then, we’ll discuss train mechanics and a safety system called “positive train control” with Drexel University civil engineering professor JOE MARTIN and we’ll talk about the New Jersey politics that’s lead to the current transportation funding struggle with RYAN HUTCHINS, POLITICO’s New Jersey bureau chief.

Guests: Colson Whitehead, Scott Sheppard, Jennifer Kidwell, Catherine Clinton

On this week’s edition of Radio Times in Review; we’re bringing you three conversations about the Underground Railroad.  We’ll hear from author COLSON WHITEHEAD, whose new novel The Underground Railroad is a clever and brutal reimagining of the historic escape route from slavery.  Then, Marty’s conversation with the co-creators of the play “The Underground Railroad Game” JENNIFER KIDWELL and SCOTT SHEPPARD. Finally, we’ll explore the life of Harriet Tubman, when we listen to Marty’s conversation with Tubman biographer, CATHERINE CLINTON.

Guests: Jessica Bennett, Kathleen Dolan

This week’s conversations about Hillary Clinton’s “debate face” and Donald Trump’s frequent interruptions and “mansplaining” got us thinking about the different expectations we have about men and women in positions of power.  Can a woman be forceful without being considered “bitchy?”  Do women have to speak louder to be heard?  Do we care more about how a woman looks than the appearance of her male colleagues?  While women represent over half the workforce and have assumed more leadership roles in academia, government and industry, subtle sexism still pervades many workplaces.  In this hour of Radio Times, we’ll talk about women, power, and stereotypes.  Our guests are journalist JESSICA BENNETT whose new book Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace offers advice about how women can combat the subtle forms of discrimination they face at work and political scientist KATHLEEN DOLAN at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.