All Of It (WNYC)

In honor of Spooky Season, a new series on the Criterion Channel puts the spotlight on horror films featuring great practical special effects, from the 1930s to the 80s, before the advent of CGI. Curator Clyde Folley joins us to discuss his series, Horror F/X, available to stream on Criterion Channel through October.

Broadway's "Suffs"  tells the story of the fight for women's suffrage, led by National Woman's Party founder Alice Paul. The show won Tony Awards for both Best Book and Best Original Score, as well as a number of nominations including Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role (Nikki M. James) and Best Direction (Leigh Silverman). James and Silverman join us. "Suffs"  is running at Music Box Theatre through January 5.

Grammy-award winning and Bronx born-and-raised vocalist Samara Joy returns with a new album, Portrait, out this Friday. Joy discusses her whirlwind of a last two years, her approach to this new album, and we get an exclusive listen to some unreleased tracks.

Last night marked the return of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which had been on pause for a few years. Once a dominant women's underwear and lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret has struggled to keep up with modern notions of beauty and desirability... and the former CEO, Les Wexner, became embroiled in the scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. Co-author Lauren Sherman  joins us to discuss her new book, Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon. The book was co-written with Chantal Fernandez.

Photographer Anastasia Samoylova has made a career of capturing colorful portraits of life in South Florida. Now, she is co-headlining an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the first living woman photographer to do so since Helen Levitt in 1991. She joins us to discuss the show, Floridas: Anastasia Samoylova and Walker Evans, which is running through May 11. Plus, we discuss her new monograph, Adaptation, out this month.

El Museo del Barrio’s second large-scale survey of Latinx contemporary art, Flow States – LA TRIENAL 2024 features 33 participating artists working across the United States, Puerto Rico, The Philippines and the United Kingdom. Susanna Temkin, curator at El Museo del Barrio and María Elena Ortiz, curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, co-curated the show alongside Rodrigo Moura, chief curator at El Museo del Barrio. Tempkin and Ortiz join us to discuss the show on display through Sunday, February 9, 2025.
 

The QAnon conspiracy theory has taken hold of many Americans in the last few years, many of whom truly believe there is a cabal of pedophiles running the country, and Donald Trump is the only one who can stop them. A new book investigates how QAnon has torn some families apart. Author Jesselyn Cook joins us to discuss The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family as part of our political book series, Get Political.

Autumn is apple season. Looking for inspiration in the kitchen with all the apples in the house? Genevieve Ko, New York Times deputy editor and columnist for the Food section and NYT Cooking, gives advice on cooking and baking with apples this season, and we take your calls.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual now on view through January 5. We continue with Terrance Cummings, who discusses his piece in the show, "Family," and his story from a childhood in Alabama to settling in the Garden State.

When Nisha Vora went vegan at the age of 28, she thought her lifelong love affair with food was coming to an end. But after discovering that smoothies and acai bowls did not count as meals, her hunger pushed her to become a much better cook. Now, her latest cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor, is a bestseller. She joins us to discuss how to make flavorful plant-based recipes -- and take listener calls.

Here's a recipe from the cookbook:

Sticky Coconut Milk–Braised Tofu

Serves 3 to 4 | GFO, NF

As much as I love crispy tofu, I may love this braised tofu even more. Here, squares of tofu are pan-fried until golden and crispy, then braised in a Thai-inspired blend of coconut milk, soy sauce, lemongrass, and spices. Frying the tofu first makes the perfect porous surface for the deeply savory and slightly sweet braising liquid to seep into, creating that spongy and chewy yet tender texture found in Chinese restaurant tofu dishes.

Tip: To serve a crowd, double the tofu and braising liquid. Fry the tofu in two batches; after frying the first batch, start simmering the liquid in a 3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan, then follow the recipe as written.

Big-Flavor Meals: Serve over a bed of jasmine white rice or brown rice, along with blanched or stir-fried green beans, bok choy, or broccolini.

1 (14-ounce/400 g) block extra-firm tofu, drained
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice

Braising Liquid
1 tablespoon coriander seeds1 (13.5-ounce/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup (140 g) soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for GF)
1/4 cup (84 g) agave nectar (or organic brown sugar or cane sugar)
2 lemongrass stalks, minced (see page 472 for prep tips)
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced (peel on okay)
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 to 3 Thai chiles (or 1 serrano pepper), stemmed and sliced in half vertically (use 3 chiles for spicy!; omit for mild heat)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

For Serving

Cooked white or brown rice
Roasted black or white sesame seeds
1 handful chopped cilantro or Thai basil (optional)

1. Wrap the tofu in a thin dish towel or a few paper towels and press for 10 to 15 minutes (see page 265).

2. Slice the tofu in half vertically, then flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares about 1/2-inch (1 to 1.5 cm) thick. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a cutting board. Gently press down on the squares with a towel to release more water. Sprinkle the tofu with a couple of pinches of salt. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.

3. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Carefully add the tofu, arranging it in a single layer. Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat it and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook until the other side is also golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. While the tofu cooks, make the braising liquid. Use the back of a large knife or a sturdy mug to roughly crush the coriander seeds. Or you can use a mortar and pestle or pulse once in a spice grinder.

5. In a medium (2-quart/2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, agave, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), roughly crushed coriander, white pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. It should be very flavorful and quite salty.

6. Add the fried tofu to the braising liquid and stir to coat. A few pieces of tofu will peek up above the liquid, but that’s okay. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is almost wrinkly and the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu, about 35 minutes. 

7. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly; discard the cinnamon stick. Serve over rice, pour a little braising liquid on top of the rice (not a lot, as it’s quite potent), and garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.

In the latest novel from author Garth Greenwell, a poet's life is upended when he is struck suddenly by serious and intense pain. Greenwell joins us to discuss Small Rain.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual now on view through January 5. We continue with Kirk Maynard, who discusses his piece in the show, "Periphery Series #22," and how he came up with the idea to paint subjects from their sides.

[REBROADCAST FROM MARCH 25, 2024] Amy Lin was newly married when her husband collapsed suddenly while running a half-marathon, and died. In her new memoir, Here After, Lin writes about the grief of losing her partner at such a young age, and how she managed to continue on. Lin joins us to discuss the book as part of our series Mental Health Mondays, and take calls from people who have experienced a similar loss.

Chances are you're going apple picking or frolicking in an orchard this long weekend. But before you pick your trees, we want to know: What's the best apple variety and why? For the next installment of our debate series, Small Stakes, Big Opinions, Hunter Lewis, Food and Wine editor in chief, gives us his list of his favorite apples and we take your calls.

This segment is guest-hosted by David Furst

In honor of the museum's 200th anniversary, the eight galleries of the American Art wing of the Brooklyn Museum have been reinstalled and "reoriented" with a more diverse collection where "Black feminist and BIPOC perspectives act as through lines in this vast presentation." We're joined by Stephanie Sparling Williams, Andrew Mellon Curator, American Art, to discuss.

New York Nico, "the Unofficial Talent Scout of NYC" as his bio says, is publishing his debut book on his hometown. New York Nico's Guide to NYC spotlights Nico's 100 favorite NY institutions and the personalities that keep them interesting.

Actor and comedian Cat Cohen discusses her new comedy special, "Come For Me," and her role as one of the Brothers Sisters on the latest season of "Only Murders in the Building." She will also discuss her debut album, Plus One, which will release with Elektra Records on November 14.

Writer and musician Franz Nicolay's new book, Band People: Life and Work In Popular Music, highlights the people you might not think of when you think of your favorite bands —the people who comprise the rhythm and horns sections, side-of-stagers, backup singers, and others like them whose stories rarely get told. Publisher's Weekly calls it "a captivating look at what it means to occupy the complicated space 'between a career and a calling.'” Franz Nicolay joins us to discuss.

Jeff VanderMeer returns to his provocative Southern Reach series with a surprise fourth (and he says final) installment, Absolution. He joins us to discuss ahead of his event on Thursday night in conversation with Emily St. John Mandel at 7:30pm at St. Joseph's University, New York,

Recently, New York Times reported a 64-percent surge in elective breast-reduction surgeries among women since 2019. New York Times correspondent Lisa Miller wrote the piece, titled "The Power of a Smaller Breast," and joins us to discuss her insights.

El Museo del Barrio’s second large-scale survey of Latinx contemporary art, Flow States – LA TRIENAL 2024 is on display through Sunday, February 9, 2025. Mark Menjívar, San Antonio-based artist and associate professor in the School of Art and Design at Texas State University, has a piece featured in the show reflecting on the topic of migration through birds. He joins us to discuss before leading a bird walk tomorrow in Central Park at 9:30 a.m.

With Halloween around the corner, we wanted to ask an expert about the craft that goes into costume making, as well as get some recommendations for fabrics and ideas of what a layperson could make. We'll speak with Associate Costume Designer Amanda Whidden, who has worked on costumes for "Into the Woods" and "Wicked" on Broadway, about her career—and get some tips.

Award-winning artist Edra Soto has an ongoing series of installations based on rejas, wrought iron screens frequently seen outside homes in Puerto Rico. Graft is the latest installation and is on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park through August 2025. Soto joins us to discuss her work as part of a commission through the Public Art Fund.

You can now listen to the Public Song Project on a record player near you! We've curated an LP of this year's standout tracks -- from artists including Bela Fleck, Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, Rhiannon Giddens, and The Lemon Twigs -- and put them on a limited edition vinyl pressing. Producers Simon Close and Zach Gottehrer-Cohen join for a Listening Party.

In 2020, pastry chef Clarice Lam opened the acclaimed Japanese-Italian restaurant Kimika, which was a James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant. Now, she has released her debut cookbook, Breaking Bao: 88 Bakes and Snacks from Asia and Beyond. Lam joins us to discuss.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louise Erdrich discusses her new novel, The Mighty Red, about a group of people who come together in North Dakota to attend a wedding, including a man determined to steal the soon-to-be-wife away. Erdrich is speaking tomorrow night at Symphony Space.

In playwright Dominique Morisseau's "Bad Kreyòl," a first-generation Haitian-American travels to Haiti to reconnect with a relative, exploring the relationships between the characters and the countries they reside in. Morisseau discusses the show, which is running through December 1 in a world premiere at the Signature Theatre.

18-year-old Jackson Reffitt made national news for his decision to turn his father in to the FBI for his role in the Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol. A new play dramatizes the investigation and resulting trial, using the words from statements, evidence, and court transcripts. Reffitt joins us to discuss, alongside the play's creator and director Stephen Sachs, and Patrick Keleher, who plays Reffitt in the play. 'Fatherland'  is running at New York City Center through November 23rd.

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna discuss starring together in the new Hulu series, "La Máquina," about a boxer and his manager trying to get him back in the ring for one last fight. The show is out now on Hulu.

[REBROADCAST FROM JAN. 22, 2024] In his latest book, Judson A. Brewer, psychiatrist and associate professor at Brown University, shares everything he’s learned over the past two decades of studying habit change and shows readers how to abandon unhealthy eating habits while creating better ones. Brewer joins us to discuss his book, The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We’re Not Hungry and How to Stop.

Singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah is releasing her new album, Still + Bright, on Oct. 25th. Ahead of the release, Kiah, also a member of the supergroup Our Native Daughters, performs a few songs from the forthcoming album for us and discusses her songwriting practice.

Nasozi Kakembo is a designer with studios in Brooklyn and Kampala, Uganda. She describes it as a "a design bridge between my East African heritage and my American upbringing." She works specifically with artisans to highlight ethical decor. Kakembo discusses her new book, The African Decor Edit, which looks at the ways you can bring your heritage into your home.

Author Dinaw Mengestu joins us for a preview conversation ahead of our October Get Lit with All Of It event. We're spending the month reading his new book, Someone Like Us, about a journalist who returns home to his Ethiopian community in D.C. to uncover family secrets and examine his father's sudden death. To borrow your e-copy, and grab your tickets to our October 30 event, click here.

In the new play "The Hills of California,"  a group of four sisters are raised by their single mother in northern England to be a singing group like the Andrews sisters. Decades later, three of those sisters gather as their mother lays dying, waiting to see whether their estranged sister will come home from California, where she has moved to pursue a singing career. Playwright Jez Butterworth joins us to discuss the show, which he wrote for his partner Laura Donnelly. Donnelly stars as both the mother and the daughter who lives in California, and joins us alongside Butterworth. "The Hills of California"  is running at the Broadhurst Theater through December 22nd.

The new film "Saturday Night"  dramatizes the creation of the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. We speak with writer and director Jason Reitman, along with actor Gabriel LaBelle, who stars as a young Lorne Michaels. "Saturday Night"  is in theaters nationwide Friday.

A new book explores the significance of music as a form of cultural expression for Caribbean communities. It's titled, Vibes Up: Reggae and Afro-Caribbean Migration from Costa Rica to Brooklyn. Author Sabia McCoy-Torres, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Africana Studies Program at Tulane University, joins us to discuss.

[REBROADCAST FROM SEPT. 26, 2024] We spend the hour diving deep into the history of brain surgery, from the earliest days, to lobotomies, to the new cutting-edge research into minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz, attending neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, joins us to discuss his new book, Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery.

Earlier this month, part of the Delaware Aqueduct, which supplies most of New York City's tap water, is closing for maintenance, and residents might notice their water tastes or smells different. Rohit Aggarwala, commissioner of NYC's Department of Environmental Protection, discusses the city's water sourcing, and what it might mean for its famously perfect and delicious tap water. Plus, listeners call in to share whether they've noticed differences in their tap water, and to share how NYC's water is a point of local pride.

Comedian, actor, and author Jenny Slate joins us to discuss her new collection of essays, Lifeform, about love and new motherhood. Jenny will be speaking tomorrow night at Town Hall.

In the 90's, Jane Pratt launched the influential magazine Sassy, then went on to publish XO and Jane--women's magazines that combined thoughtful and often pioneering journalism with fashion and beauty. Now after the "death" of print, Pratt is returning to editorial with "Another Jane Pratt Thing," which launched September 26th on Substack. She joins to discuss. 

At this year's Grammys, tabla player Zakir Hussain took home three Grammy awards, the first musician from India to win that many in one year. Hussain is currently on tour with his son, Rahul Sharma, and Hussain stops by to reflect on his big year and his efforts to preserve and spread Indian classical music. Hussain is playing in Ridgefield, CT on Oct. 17th, and Symphony Space in New York on Oct. 20th.

If you’re a New York sports fan, this has been a very exciting fall. Both the Yankees and the Mets are in the playoffs, and the Liberty are in the finals. If your life right now is about postseason sports, give us a call and tell us what team you're supporting. And if you live in a divided household -- one that contains BOTH Mets and Yankees fans -- let us know how you make it work. But if sports isn't your thing, we want to know what you're doing this weekend -- and whether it will involve leaping llamas. We'll explain more.

Bestselling cookbook author Julia Turshen joins us to discuss her latest cookbook, What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities, which helps home cooks figure out how to nail a perfectly balanced meal every time.

Collaborators Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis join us to discuss their new project, the concept album Warriors. It's a multi-genre musical adaptation of the 1979 movie "The Warriors," which tells the story of a Coney Island gang who need to fight their way back to Brooklyn after they are framed for a murder in the Bronx.

Trailblazing journalist and television news anchor Connie Chung joins us to discuss her new memoir about her life and career. It's titled Connie: A Memoir.

The latest Broadway revival of the Thornton Wilder classic "Our Town" is both familiar and modern, under the direction of Kenny Leon. Leon joins us to discuss alongside actor Zoey Deutch, who stars as Emily. "Our Town" is running now at the Barrymore Theatre through January 19.

Habibi Festival, the annual celebration of music from the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) region, returns to Joe's Pub this week. Organizers Meera Dugal and Alex Knowlton give some highlights alongside Algerian percussionist Karim Ziad, who performs live in our studio. Habibi Festival runs October 8-12.

Last year, just off Transmitter Park in Greenpoint, a new diner opened inspired by the history of radio and WNYC, which used the land for transmission towers for over fifty years. Radio Star is inspired by the radio era of the 1940s, including vintage fixtures and furniture from the time period. Owner Sara Conklin tells us about what's on the menu, her original vision for her restaurant and its connection to WNYC.

Before he became a New York City doorman, Stephen Bruno's story begins in the Bronx. Growing up as an academically gifted kid, Bruno's path didn't necessarily go as planned. In his new memoir, Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman, Bruno describes how he went from being broke and flunking out of college to landing a prestigious doorman job for a fancy Park Avenue building. He also shares stories about New York that only doormen might get to witness. Bruno, now an author as well as still a doorman on Park Avenue, is with us to discuss his story.

Samora Pinderhughes releases the first part of his new two-part album, Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears on October 18, but this week he performs live at Blue Note on Oct. 7-8th. He joins us before his performance to preview the project and to discuss his career as a multidisciplinary artist.