Louisiana Insider (Louisiana Life Magazine)

Several times Lake Pontchartrain has faced serious pollution issues and each time it has survived largely because the lake, when given a chance, has had the ability to cleanse itself. Once closed to public swimming, folks these days are invited to jump it to an amazingly clean body of water. The sea life provides more proof. Carlton Dufrechou knows the lake probably better than anyone. He is the director of the commission that runs the lake-spanning Causeway Bridge and the former director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation – recently rebranded as the Pontchartrain Conservancy. In this week's episode, Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, joins Dufrechou in discussing the lake and its amazing recovery. Oh yes, we will talk about the blue crabs and the manatees, too.

Imagine, you’re the pilot of an ocean freighter working its way up the Mississippi River. There’s something important you should know. Regardless of your destination you should dock the big ship somewhere before you reach the “old bridge” in Baton Rouge. After that, the river gets shallower all the way up to Minnesota. At this point you’re better off being the captain of a tow boat pushing barges.

Photographer Philip Gould joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his book, “Bridging the Mississippi: Spans Across the Father of Waters,” for which Gould, and his wife, co-author Margot Hasha, document crossings from the river’s northern origin at Lake Itasca to the twin spans in New Orleans. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the engineer who was responsible for the steel bridge in St. Louis and the jetties near the mouth of the river.

 Ramon Vargas, a former reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune and now an editor/reporter for the London-based publication The Guardian, has for several years been covering sex scandals mostly between adult educator authority figures and school age youth. Most of his work has centered around the Roman Catholic church in the New Orleans area but has wider implications. Recently, information released by the Louisiana State police who gained access to what has been private documents, has opened shocking revelations of new charges many made by alleged former victims. Vargas joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about what was learned from the affidavits including what church officials might have known but not revealed.

Don’t you just hate it when you’re walking in the yard of an old farmhouse and there is a ghost staring out the window? How about that strange noise some folks claim they have heard coming from the barn? And do you sometimes get the feeling that someone is looking over your shoulder only to turn and find no one there? Those are stories that Kenneth Brown, an archaeologist from the University of Houston, heard as he went digging at Magnolia Plantation near Natchitoches, Louisiana. Brown did not spot any ghosts himself, but he did learn much about the lives and traditions of those who occupied those grounds – including post-war freed slaves. Brown, who was a guest expert on the Destination America show “Ghost Brothers" which hosted it's first episode at the plantation, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about what archaeologists are learning from plantation life. Oh yes, we will also hear about what he found in the ground for his exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

A favorite topic of many podcast listeners is food; a second favorite topic is drink. Y’all are in luck. This episode’s guest is an expert on both. Liz Williams, a founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum and President of the National Food & Beverage Foundation, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about culinary history including the South’s unique contributions on the plate and in the tumbler.

Oh yes, we will also hear the secret to the best day- after Thanksgiving leftover gumbo ever.

Is Voodoo a religion or is it a way of life? According to Sallie Ann Glassman it is both. Glassman, who travelled to Haiti to study Vodou and to be initiated into the priesthood explains the complexities including the parallels with Roman Catholicism and certain saints. Glassman joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the mysteries of Voodoo. Oh yes, we will hear about the impact of drumming to the spirit.

Former Secretary of State Jim Brown talks about Edwin Edwards; Louisiana politics and back home in Ferriday

When Jim Brown, a young attorney from Louisiana first met Edwin Edwards, who was in Congress at the time, the two men sat on the steps of the U.S. capitol and talked about Louisiana politics and their ambitions. It was a fateful meeting. Edwards would go on to being elected governor four times; Brown would serve as Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner. Brown joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Edwards, his career, Louisiana politics and even some music stars who came from Brown’s hometown of Ferriday. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Brown’s first law client and about his last request to former governor Jimmie Davis.

In tandem with the new season of sister publication New Orleans Magazine's "Beyond the Beads" podcast, we're launching a crossover episode. Producer, and occasional host, Kelly Massicot talks to Vice producer and storyteller Jackson Garrett. Garrett and Vice will release a new documentary this year highlighting the culture and traditions behind Cajun Mardi Gras. Garrett shares his insight into the celebration and what he hopes viewers learn from his experience.

When ordering, one might wonder why the cup in which their coffee is served has an image of the devil on the outside or, especially, why the coffee when poured into a serving bowl is on fire. The real jolt is yet to come as the server ladles Café Brulot into the bedeviled cup. There is a rich history, much tracing back to France, in which ingredients were burnt and mixed with seasonings before being enriched by another liquid. Café Brulot is the most famous example, and few cities do it better and in more different places, than New Orleans.

Author Sue Strachan, who specializes in food, drink and other cultural quirks, joins Executive Editor of Louisiana Life Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her book, “The Café Brulot.” More than just telling stories of the drink itself, Strachan provides a history of some of the ingredients – such as cloves and oranges – and of restauranteurs and bartenders who popularized the drink.

We will also her about a famous pirate – OK, a privateer – who might have taken a few sips of the burning booze himself.

Some places are known for their snow at Christmas time; Louisiana’s river parishes are known for their fire on Christmas Eve.

Chicago-based filmmaker Mark Niedelson joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his documentary "Papa Noel: The Legacy of the Levee Bonfires." The production, which is available through the resources of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), tells the story as centered in the St. James Parish town of Gramercy and spread along the River Road levee.

Oh yes, we’ll also speculate on the true origin of the bonfires. It may not be what you have heard.

What exactly is the purpose of roux in a gumbo or stew? And how about those prepared roux mixes? Louisiana Life’s longtime food columnist and genius in the kitchen as well Stanley Dry ponders these question and others with Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot. They also talk top Louisiana seafood and meats.

Oh yes, we will also hear Dry reveal his favorite Louisiana-linked desserts.

Alecia Long, an LSU historian and author of the book “The Great Southern Babylon: Sex, Race and Respectability on New Orleans, 1865-1920,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the risqué side of early urban life. Oh yes, we will also hear about her latest book linking former Orleans Parish D. A. Jim Garrison's investigation of the Kennedy assassination as an alleged sex crime.

There are four meaningful seasons in Louisiana: football, hurricane, Carnival and elections. All are important; two are fun. Robert Mann, holder of the Manship Chair in Journalism at LSU and a former staffer with Governor Kathleen Blanco and Senators John Breaux and Bennett Johnston, as well as once a newspaper reporter joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for a riveting conversation about politics, especially gubernatorial history and elections

Oh yes, we will also hear about the time Huey Long arranged for the LSU student body to watch the Tigers football team play Vanderbilt – in Nashville, by train.

Suppose your job is to take care of a tiger – a real tiger with jaws and claws and that is physically fit. David G. Baker is a veterinarian who for several year had the responsibility of overseeing the most recent cats who have been the Louisiana State University mascot. This week, Baker joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss his book "Mike: The Tigers of LSU." He talks not just about the life of a mascot, but also offers fascinating insights into the animals themselves, such as how they differ in lifestyles and psychology from other wild felines including lions and panthers. He also describes Mike’s luxurious habitat on the LSU campus and the inside story of what it takes to feed a tiger.

Located in Keithville, Chimp Haven is the largest protected area for chimps in the country. Many of the residents were once owned by the federal government for research; others were pets. Now they all live a leisurely life, which everyone can see in the new National Geographic and Disney+ series "Meet The Chimps."

Amy Fultz – Chimp Haven’s director of Behavior, Education and Research – joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the fascinating story of the chimps and their behavioral patterns.  Oh yes, we will also discover if there are any favorites in the group.

We know about the interstates and federal highways that lace the state, but there is a lot to be learned from exploring the old roads. Louisiana is rich with trails all of which have fascinating stories from the gulf coast to the state’s northern tip. Sharon Calcote, the director of the Louisiana Scenic Byways program, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from 19 designated trails. Oh yes, we will also discover one trail where the story was made into a movie that won an Academy Award for Best Picture.

There are more legends about life along the Mississippi river than there are curves in its path. (Well, almost as many.) This week’s “Louisiana Insider” podcast examines the legends and the dynamics of the mightiest of rivers. Mary Ann Sternberg, who has written extensively about River Road, is our guest this week. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life Magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, join Sternberg in discussing the river, its grandeur as well as the plantations and the slavery controversies. Where is the deepest point in the entire Mississippi river? That and other facts are awaiting your discovery.

What does it mean when the top 10 movies set in Louisiana are discussed, two of them have the word “Easy” in the title? After much discussion, we have concluded that it is probably only a coincidence because the competition is tough. Film critic Alfred Richard joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, in a lively conversation to reveal his choices of the top 10 films set in Louisiana. (Spoiler alert: While the “Easy” films make the list they are not at the top.) Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact that one of those films had on a small Louisiana town and, in a brief conversational diversion, what it is like to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

Ask Bob Marshall what the article was for which he won his Pulitzer Prize and he will politely respond, "which one?" Marshall has been on the winning side for two group Pulitzers each reporting on environmental issues for the Time-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

Fortunately, on matters of ecological issues, Louisiana needs such aggressive watchdogs. The lush waterways and wetlands that make the state so wondrous are also vulnerable to being tested by nature.

Marshall joins Louisiana Life magazine Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about climate change in Louisiana including long-range predictions. (Hint: It’s not good.)

Oh yes, we will also hear about how far inland a new Louisiana coastline could be one day.

Besides color, what is the difference between a brown bear and a black bear? And which are you most likely to find in Louisiana? How plentiful are feral pigs? Does Louisiana have more alligators than people? What’s the difference between a redfish and a red snapper? Chris Holmes has written several articles about the state’s wildlife for many outlets including for Louisiana Life.

Holmes joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the state’s wildlife from the Kisatchie Forest through the Atchafalaya Basin.

Oh yes, we will also hear about the re-emergence of the bird made famous by John James Audubon

Even in the worst of times great stories about compassionate people emerge. Stories such as the case of Julius Rosenwald, who in the tense days pf the early 19th Century was concerned that kids from African American families in the South were denied educational opportunities because of segregation laws. Rosenwald, who had achieved wealth at the managerial level of the Chicago based Sears and Roebuck company, became a major philanthropist and used much of his wealth to fight social problems. He cooperated with educator Booker T. Washington to help fund schools throughout the South that gave opportunities to minorities.  Kenneth Hoffman, the executive director of the New Orleans-based Museum of the of Southern Jewish Experience, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to tell the story of the Rosenwald schools, a movement that was eventually responsible for approximately 5000 new two-classroom schools. Of the schools built in Louisiana one building, in Donaldsonville, still stands and is used as a museum with an incredible story to display.

Just having survived in New Orleans as a poor French Jewish immigrant was a major accomplishment for young Leon Godchaux. But having lived a life in his adopted city where he eventually opened his own department store, mastered the use of the newly-invented sewing machine for better clothes quality and then to establish a major sugar refinery upriver from New Orleans – which would be a model or the rest of the sugar industry – was a life well lived.

Peter M. Wolf, the author of “Sugar King: Leon Godchaux: A New Orleans Legend; His Creole Slave and His Jewish Roots,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the history of an amazing man who also secretly purchased a Creole slave in order to liberate him, and would later become a business partner.

Wolf also reveals what happened to the engine for Godchaux's train that was used to haul items throughout the refinery. Hint:  In was relocated to a major theme park.

Here is a dash of chicory for your daily podcast listening. The Louisiana-based Community Coffee company is now in its 105th year. Headquartered in Baton Rouge with facilities in New Orleans, Community is the largest family-owned and operated retail coffee brand in the country and a top selling brand not only in Louisiana but throughout the South.

Matt Saurage, the fourth generation owner and Chairman of Community, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to tell the story of the company’s 1919 origin in founder Cap Saurage’s Baton Rouge grocery store. Cap was so fascinated with mixing coffee blends he decided to enter the business, which now imports beans from Central America and Africa. Matt also talks about the company’s signature dark roast brand and he offers a defense for chicory, which is more than an extender but offers its own flavors and which he always drinks straight up.

In addition to coffee roasting, Community lives up to its name by having a history of making community contributions.

It is a conversation that is full bodied and never decaffeinated.

There was once a part of present day Louisiana that neither France nor Spain could decide on who was the possessor, so it was declared a neutral ground known as “No Man’s Land.” Filmmakers Bill Rodman and Flo Ulmer-Rodman, along with historian Adley Cormier, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss their documentary about a lawless and adventurous section of 19th Century western Louisiana.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a tree in Lake Charles where cowboys and pirates once met to trade items and maybe sample a little barbecue.

Stanley Nelson is a north Louisiana journalist who has made a specialty out of investigating Ku Klux Klan-related murders. His newest book, "Klan of Devils: The Murder of A Black Louisiana Deputy Sheriff" tells the harrowing story of a 1965 crime in which two Washington Parish deputies were shot while on duty. One deputy died, but the other was only - though severely – injured and able to provide some witness information. The book traces the ensuring investigation and the eventual involvement of the FBI. It is a riveting study of racial relations during that time. Nelson joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to reveal the detail of the crime and the investigation.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a secret meeting held between then Governor John McKeithen, looking for help, and the FBI.

Officially known as “Hansen’s disease” but the world recognizes the jarring, more familiar term “leprosy.” A place in south Louisiana known as Carville was, along with a facility in Hawaii, the national center for the care of patients with the disease. Author Anne Harmon Brett joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell her moving story of being raised by parents who first met at Carville. Based on the memoirs of her father and her own recollections, Brett tells stories of compassion, family loyalty and determination. Brett also discusses the contemporary status of the disease. This is a moving story not to be missed.

In the 1700s, when New Orleans was a fledgling city, the French overseers faced many problems including a severe shortage of women. Arrangements were made to send women from France who were perceived as being problematic to Louisiana for a new life. Joan DeJean, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and a native of Louisiana has conducted exhaustive research on who those women were brought to Louisiana, why were they sent, and what they accomplished in their new land. Some of the stories are heartbreaking others are inspirational.

DeJean joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her latest book, “Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers of the Gulf Coast.”

Oh yes, we will also hear about the legends of the casket girls.

Presidential politics and energy expert Jay Hakes, a former University of New Orleans Political Science professor, has written a compelling new book about contemporary presidents and their response to environmental issues. He helped organize Jimmy Carter’s Louisiana campaign in 1976 and he would go on to manage the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta for 13 years. As an energy expert, he spent time shaping energy policy for the state of Florida and, under Carter, headed the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Hakes joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his latest book, “The Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics from Eisenhower to Bush,” published by LSU Press. The wide ranging discussion also includes shaping public opinion (such as the awareness of the dangers from second hand cigarette smoke) and the future of electric vehicles. It is high powered conversation.

Even through the COVID-19 slowdown and taunting by hurricanes there has been lots going on in Louisiana over the last couple years. To prove its point, Louisiana Life magazine presents its annual La Nouvelle Louisiane awards. Melanie Warner Spencer, the magazine’s managing editor, joins Errol Laborde along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the best of what’s new in the state including places, things, culinary adventures and even people with stories to tell.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear the magazine’s picks of five charming Louisiana towns.

This week's episode is a crossover with sister podcast "Beyond the Beads" from New Orleans Magazine. Since the early 20th Century, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club has been a prominent figure in Carnival culture. From the meeting of the Courts every Lundi Gras to throwing their famous coconuts each Mardi Gras day, Errol and Elroy tackle all aspects of the krewe both in and outside of the Carnival season.

In preparing his book about king cakes, author Matt Haines claims to have sampled from 80 different cakes for the sake of journalism. His book, "The Big Book of King Cake” was worth the effort because it is both an informative history of the king cake and a source of greet photography showing the confection at its best. Haines joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell about his odyssey. Oh yes, we will answer the question, are there really boudin king cakes?

It all began with the word “Acadian," which became Americanized to “Cajun” and then popularized to define life’s necessities including a two-step in Mamou and the spiciness of fried chicken. Join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot as University of Louisiana at Lafayette professor and documentary maker Nathan Rabalais discusses his production “Finding Cajun,” which made its broadcast debut on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. We will hear about the history of the people and the word, as well as, a delve into the timeless question about preference, “boudin or cracklins?”

One of the biggest honors given to any magazine is to be named “Magazine of the Year,” especially by a national trade organization. Well, ahem!, Acadiana Profile, Louisiana Life magazine’s sister publication, was recently named Magazine of the Year (in the bountiful 37,000 or leas circulation category) by IRMA, the International Regional Magazine Association. Not only that, but Louisiana Life was also named as one of the finalists. The award was announced at the group’s recent convention in Ottawa, Canada. Melanie Spencer, both magazine's managing editor, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss behind the scenes in regional magazines and the making of a nationally ranked publication.

Oh yes, we will also hear about a controversial cover and a British judge’s thoughts about it.

This week, producer Kelly Massicot is taking on the role as host to talk to New Orleans culinary icon Poppy Tooker about a special cocktail that got its start in the Crescent City.

Thanks to her obsession with the Apple TV+ show "Palm Royale," where The Grasshopper acts as one of the stars, Massicot enlists Tooker to share her knowledge into the history of both one of the city's oldest restaurants and a cocktail that has been a crowd pleaser since 1918.

What other drink was Tooker surprised to find the recipe for hidden in the back of a picture frame? Listen to find out!

Sally Asher is a historian, photographer and tour guide who specializes in the bawdy days of the early 20th century in New Orleans and the life and death of the Storyville bordello district.

Asher joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss how the city adapted to two major concerns of the times: prostitution and boozing. In both cases New Orleans has its own creative solutions.

As a photographer she also has fascinating stories to tell including the time when the Dali Lama met Dr. John and who was most impressed with whom.

What is the better fish for eating, red drum or red snapper? They’re both good but food writer Stanley Dry know the differences. Dry has a long list of credentials including being food editor for Louisiana Life magazine and the author of the hardback book “The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook” published by the magazine. Seafood is the entire topic as Dry makes a return visit to the podcast. He joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the bounty from the Gulf and the state’s waterways. Oh yes, we will also hear about what else, besides corn and sausage, to toss into the crawfish boil.

Gordon “Nick” Mueller once had a conversation with Stephen Ambrose, a history professor colleague at the University of New Orleans. What Ambrose had to say would make history itself. He proposed a project to build a museum focused on the Normandy D-Day invasions. Taking advantage of the university’s lakefront location – which would be used to test the Higgins landing boats used in the invasion – plus Ambrose’s volumes of interviews on the war, the idea seemed like a natural. From that day, Mueller’s career took a new track toward his own landing as the founding President and CEO of what would eventually be called The National World War II Museum.

Now regarded as one of the nation’s best museums and ranking high in attendance, the museum project that Ambrose envisioned, like the Normandy invasion, was a success tough with a heavy drama an obstacles along the way.

Mueller joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the war and the new book he co-authored, along with research historian Kali Matin Schick, entitled “Building the National WWII Museum.”

There are lots of stories in the interview including that of Ambrose’s reaction the first time he saw a personal screening of his book, “Saving Private Ryan” having been made into a movie.

For many, the image of Jewish settlements in the United States have been mostly on the East Coast and in major cities. However, there has long been a Jewish population spread across the South and in rural areas. Dating back to the 1700s, some of the earliest Jewish settlers were peddlers selling their wares to eagerly awaiting customers across the landscape. Executive Director of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience Kenneth Hoffman and Morris Mintz, a founding board member of the museum, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the Jewish story in Louisiana, which includes being victimized by prejudices yet being appreciated for civic leadership and philanthropy. Oh yes, we will also hear about the new museum that details the story of the southern Jewish experience and listen to a klezmer song that might surprise you.

After traumatic events, such as hurricanes, there are  two areas in particular that need damage repair. One is the actual physical destruction and the other can be the psychological damage. A two-part documentary produced and streamed by Louisiana Public Broadcasting deals with both areas. One “Trauma in the Wake of Climate Change” looks at the life strategies for re-building; and the other “After the Storms” examines Lake Charles’ 2020 recovery from Hurricane Laura. Avery White and Ben Johnson, the LPB producers responsible for the two presentations, talk to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, about survival and the ongoing struggles.

Fifty years ago there was a tragic fire in New Orleans’s French Quarter at a bar with a largely gay clientele called the Upstairs Lounge. There were 32 deaths. Documentary maker Royd Anderson joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the disaster, which had a galvanizing effect on the gay community. The suspected arsonist, who himself was gay, reportedly admitted to a couple of people that he had set the fire. He would later commit suicide. Investigations would show that his action was not anti-gay but touched off by another incident. The fire was one of several in the French Quarter’s history and the most deadly. Hear about what was learned from the incident.

Natchitoches, Louisiana is known for its quaint architecture, plus one building that is hip and cutting edge. The building, which now houses the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Northwest Louisiana History Museum, is so much of a discussion in the architecture world that it was featured on “How Did They Build That?” – a globe-trotting series on the Smithsonian Channel. Crowley native/New Orleans and New York resident architect Victor “Trey” Trahan joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the ideas and problem-solving that allowed this building to rise.

Oh yes, we will also hear about the Louisiana Superdome, where Trahan is involved with the refurbishing.

Whenever polls are taken of Louisiana’s most popular restaurants Commander’s Palace in New Orleans is usually near or at the top. That’s quite an accomplishment for a state already known for its great restaurants.

Ti Martin, co-proprietor of Commander’s Place, and Executive Chef Meg Bickford join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to stir into topics including Louisiana-grown products – the quality and availability, plus, revelations about the classic Brennan’s family style of service. (Did you know: At least three people work each table.) Bickford is a rising star whose resume includes apprenticing with Chef John Folse; Martin is an established leader in the restaurant community.

We also ask the two to reveal their favorite at-home comfort foods.

Louisiana is blessed with several areas of natural wonders including the Gulf of Mexico’s shore and barrier islands, the Kisatchie Forest and the Atchafalaya Basin.

The basin cuts north-south from near Simmesport to Morgan City. Historian Jason Theriot joins host Errol Laborde and podcast Kelly Massicot to talk about this ancient wonderland of swamps, cypress trees, wildlife and native cultures. He also discusses the impact of floods and modern efforts to keep the area rivers on course. Then there are food sources.

What’s the basin’s most popular fish for eating? Here’s a hint, keep a frying pan nearby.

Randy Fertel knows how to serve with a sizzle, including on steaks or in life. Fertel, the son of Ruth’s Chris's Steakhouse founder Ruth Fertel (known for her butter-topped sizzling steaks), is an author who is fascinated with ideas.  He joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde along with Producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his latest book, "WINGING IT: Improv's Power and Peril in the Age of Trump," which takes a philosophical but fascinating dive into the topic of improvisation as a tool of innovation. Examples abound including the musical "Hamilton" performed in hip-hop. Or his father who once ran for Mayor of New Orleans on the promise of bringing a gorilla to the zoo. (He lost, but delivered anyway.) Also, here’s a chance to learn the truth about just how the steak got its sizzle.

Words are for reading, but sometimes it is good to pause and have a word or two about words themselves: how they are used; where they have taken us. Louisiana Life magazine Editor Reine Dugas joins Louisiana Life’s Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss Southern literature and who have been some of the best practitioners. They also discuss the art of writing, as well as the future of the book industry and some of their own writing tips.

(They might have added a list of cliches that should be avoided “like the plague.”)

Jim Brown, former Louisiana Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner and State Senator makes a return visit to the podcast and for good reason. He always has a lot of stories to tell. Brown joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from his latest book, “My Louisiana Odyssey: A Memoir,” including a late night phone call from Bill Clinton and flying with Edwin Edwards.

Oh yes, we will also hear about visiting a saint’s relic and why.

Imagine a Lieutenant leading a platoon through a French village during World War II. He has questions to ask the locals but everyone in his group only speaks English. What does he do? He calls for the soldier from French Louisiana to translate. Historian Jason Theriot joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about his upcoming book, “Frenchies.” Through years of interviews, Theriot has accumulated stories about the unique role many Louisiana G.I.s performed as the Allies pushed through France and Belgium.  Oh yes, we will also hear about the impact that the war had on Cajun pride.

As a former TV news anchor, Warren Bell reported news of the day. Now in retirement, Bell is discovering news from the past and his sources are archives and cemeteries. Bell joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss his new documentary “Buried History: Finding Our Past.” The story centers around St. Louis Cemetery # 2 where he discovered a deteriorating family tomb. That began a search for family records and also an investigation of  the old cemetery, which once was the burial place of  mixed family groups including African-American Creoles. Not only did he learn much about his roots, but also links to others, including early musicians who were entombed there.

Bell also discusses the research options available to those who want to learn more about their families and the business side of cemeteries.

There are lots of questions raised by numbers; fortunately, many answers have been found. Allison Plyer, chief demographer for the New Orleans-based Data Center, looks at both sides including analyzing why Louisiana’s population is declining and why there is still a large presence of  handgun use.

This week, Plyer shares her thoughts with Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with the technical expertise of producer Kelly Massicot.

Plyer also specializes in analyzing critical Gulf Coast environmental issues. It is important conversation that should not be missed.

We have heard of Shriners Hospital but, but we bet you didn’t know that the organization’s children’s healthcare movement began in Shreveport in 1922. Steve Caskey, chairman of the Board of Governors for Shriners Children’s Shreveport, tells Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot the story of the emerge of the system that originally placed a high emphasis on orthopedics, including during the challenging days of polio.

Chris Thomas King has been close to the blues all his life. His is the son of a legendary blues musician, Tabby Thomas, who operated a blues club in Baton Rouge. King has excelled not only on guitar, but also as a performer whose movie credits include the quirky “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” and the biofilm “Ray” about Ray Charles in which King also served as a music consultant working with Charles. King joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his Grammy awards, blues style and most of all his book, “The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music And Culture.”

He also explains why defining the blues might be different than from what you think.

Where a bridge crosses the Mississippi River, connecting St. Francisville on one side and New Roads on the other, is a little like crossing the English Channel. There is the French culture on the New Roads side and a touch of English heritage in the St. Francisville vicinity. True, the Mississippi is a lot longer than the English Channel, but we’re just trying to make the point. There is a lot to discover in Louisiana. In this year where travel – especially international – is challenging, staycations might be the way to go. Travel writer Chere Coen joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about great staycation spots around the state – some that you might not have thought of before.  Oh yes, we will also mention which of the city’s towns has been called, “the happiest city in America.”

Here are some questions about our native jambalaya that you might not have thought about, but should:

Is our native jambalaya an offshoot of Spanish paella?

Is seafood jambalaya more of a casserole since jambalaya originated as a meat dish?

These and other questions are pondered by tailgate chef Jay Ducote, who knows so much about the right way to make jambalaya that the state and a seasonings manufacturer pay him to travel the South to do demonstrations at fairs and other outdoor events. Ducote joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the right meats, proper seasonings and appropriate cooking techniques to make one of Louisiana’s great one-pot foods.

We will also learn why sponsor “Slap Ya’ Mama Cajun Products” has that unusual name. (Hint: it has nothing to do with familial violence and everything to do with appreciation.)

When the story of the protests for more civil rights in Louisiana is told there were several key stops along the way including a church in Shreveport, a march to Bogalusa and Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans. Organizer Brenda McKinley and former TV news anchor Norman Robinson join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell stories about the height of the Civil Rights struggle. The story is now made more visual by the state's new Civil Rights trail, which provides informational trail markers and web-based information about the saga.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Ray Charles and his mention of Dooky Chase in one of his songs.

There are two things that many of us might like to have more of “faith” and “healing.” Mary Perrin can provide both. Perrin is a traiteuse, the Acadian equivalent of a faith healer. Working with herbs, plants and prayer traiteurs look to cure maladies. Perrin is also the Chairperson of the Jardin des traiteurs located at Vermillionville in Lafayette. She joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot to discuss the particulars of an ancient tradition... Oh yes, we will also discover a berry that seems to have amazing curative powers.

If you're in Cajun Country around Mardi Gras time be careful when you cross the road, there might be some masked riders pursing chickens for a gumbo. Chance Henry joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the Courir de Mardi Gras tradition (he is a Capitaine), as well as Cajun Culture and Acadia Parish – for which he is the Police Jury President. Oh yes, we will also hear about a place where pirates and cowboys once gathered called Roberts Cove.

In 2005, during the days of confusion after Hurricane Katrina broke New Orleans’s levees, the military needed someone to take charge. That happened once Russel Honoré, a Louisiana-born General with lots of swagger, stepped off the helicopter. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin would describe him as "that John Wayne type character." Honoré would be called again to defend a different city in 2021, after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the general to conduct a security analysis. Honoré joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his battlefield career and his latest battle for equitable energy policies.

Oh yes, we will also talk about his Green Army and how to go to battle.

We think of Louisiana’s culinary excellence most often in terms of the seafoods, gumbo, etouffees and the variety of pork dishes, but there is a whole other category for sweet things. Lafayette-based author Dixie Poche joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss her book, “Louisiana Sweets: King Cakes; Bread Pudding and Sweet Dough Pie.”

You will discover the origins of many native desserts and learn more about the native produce that are in the mix.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a town that once had a festival to celebrate homemade cakes.

There are some people who claim to do Voodoo but are just doing it for fun. Then, there are others who are the real thing. Sallie Ann Glassman is a Voodoo priestess; ordained in the Haitian ritual. Glassman, who operates Island of Salvation Botanica, stages ceremonies on Voodoo spiritual days such as St. John’s Eve. She joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Day of the Dead rituals.

Oh yes, she will also answer the question do real Voodoo practitioners stick pins in dolls.

Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin is the largest river swamp in the country. It is filled with vegetation, birds, animals, reptiles (including alligators) and wonderment. Unfortunately, any place that is so ecologically precious also has its challenges, including keeping the water flowing through the proper channels. Ecologists Joseph Baustian and Bryan Piazza of the Nature Conservancy join Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about how the basin has withstood man-made intrusions yet benefitted from man-made technology. It is a moving story that includes keeping the water moving.

Oh yes, we also hear about the successful strategy to keep the alligator population growing.

At issue was Black vs. White. In the days of racial segregation many road places were denied to black travelers. For decades, a guidebook offering travel suggestions was called "The Green Book." "The Green Book," named after the publication’s founder, provided highway information about motels, restaurants and places to go along the nation’s highways. A full length film and a Smithsonian documentary about the topic have been produced and now Louisiana Public Broadcast (LPB) has put together the documentary “Safe Haven – Louisiana’s Green Book,” focused on key locations in Louisiana, including New Orleans’ Dooky Chase restaurant and the bluesy Dew Drop Inn. The documentary’s co-producers Kara St. Cyr and Emma Reid join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the discoveries from "The Green Book," a few of which still stand.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact that the ESSO gasoline company had in supporting black travel.

We know that the Acadians were exiled from Nova Scotia, but why did so many settle in Louisiana? Was it because of the crawfish, the swamp, the alligators or the duck hunting? No, it was because of cattle and the Acadians' expertise at raising herds. Félix Martín Antonio Navarro, who from 1783 to 1788 was an official with the Spanish administration that governed Louisiana, convinced the king to allow land grants to Acadian settlers. Historian Robert Hicks, who has spent years studying Navarro, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the man he refers to as “Louisiana’s Greatest Humanitarian.”

Oh yes, we will also hear about a Catholic Priest whose 1955 book revived Navarro’s name as part of Louisiana history.

There are many stories to be told about Louisiana’s Cajun culture; most joyous, a few heartbreaking, all part of a lifestyle that has flourished in southern Louisiana. Conni Castille, a ULL documentarian who has specialized in chronicling Acadiana, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the virtue of rice and gravy, properly ironed shirt collars, celebrating on horseback and, to the contrary, even a diseases that has afflicted some Cajun families.

Oh yes, we will also hear a tempting recipe that includes boudin and Steen’s syrup.

Louisiana has a rich literary history. All authors conduct interviews as part of their craft, but only one wondered what it would be like to interview a vampire. As another Louisiana author, Kate Chopin, might have said about Anne Rice’s vampire book, it was an awakening.

Peggy Scott Laborde, a producer and documentary maker for public television station WYES tv in New Orleans joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about her latest documentary, “Literary New Orleans.” The program opens the book on some of the best works from the Louisiana literary scene. We will also hear about why Tennessee Williams changed the name of the play he was working on from “The Poker Night” to “Streetcar named Desire.”

Louisiana has four federally recognized Native American tribes, one of the most historic is the Coushattas who settled largely around Allen Parish in the vicinity of Elton and Kinder. David Sickey is a past tribal chairman and a member of the tribe’s governing board. Sickey joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the history, culture and some of the social issues that the state’s tribal people face.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact of the casinos.

Kouri-Vini is the name given to Louisiana’s endangered, indigenous Creole language. It is spoken largely in rural south Louisiana by both Louisiana Creoles and Cajuns. Linguist and performer Clif St. Laurent joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about this language that developed in the Colonial era and that still survives.

He also discusses the recently produced “Tambou,” the first film spoken in Kouri-Vini. Hear about the film character’s struggle to save himself and about the efforts to preserve the language.

George Rodrigue is one of Louisiana’s all-time important artists, and may be the most important at depicting images of early like in Cajun Culture. He created scenes of celebrations beneath moss laden oak trees; life of the bayou and even Evangeline. Then there is the Blue Dog – a descendent of a family pet and the fictional loup-garou that prowls the swamps. TV producer Sean O’Malley joins host Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his documentary, “Blue; The Life and Art of George Rodrigue.” 

Hear about Rodrigue’s genius as an artist and as a marketer both of which contributed to the world’s image of the Cajun life. (And don’t worry about the dog; he’s friendly.)

This year marks the 30th anniversary of casino type gambling being legitimized in Louisiana. Pulitzer-winning journalist Tyler Bridges joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the political history of the games of chance. He should know. His book, "Bad Bet on the Bayou" (published in 2001) followed the many twists in the tale. Oh yes, they will also discuss who went to jail and why.

While filming a documentary about ghosts in an old plantation home producer Barbara Sillery once noticed a woman standing outside a window looking in. Later when the camera operator and the sound technician were asked about the woman they responded, “what woman?” Sillery joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories from her books and public TV documentaries which includes "The Haunting of Louisiana," "The Haunting of Mississippi" and "The Haunting of Cape Cod and the Islands."

Oh yes, we will also hear Sillery’s picks of Louisiana’s most allegedly haunted places.

Which Louisiana town has Dolly Parton as part of its history? Which town was settled as part of a German religious sect? These and other questions are answered as Louisiana Life magazine’s travel writer Chere Cohen joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to reveal her picks of the state’s most charming towns.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about why Natchitoches became famous for meat pies and about a nearby town that’s known for its tamales.

John Burke knows about swamps. He spends time living close to the Atchafalaya swamp near Patterson, Louisiana. Earlier in his career  he was involved in a business of making caviar from the roe of the choupique, a  native fish whose eggs have some of the similar properties properties usen in European caviar. Now he gives swamp tours. His company, Cajun Encounters, not only takes everyday tourist into the swamps, but media celebrities too, such as Troy Landry, the star of the "Swamp People" TV series.

Burke talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde about life in the swamps; the beauty and the creepiness.

We will also hear about the estimates that there are 2 million gators living in Louisiana. Now that’s creepy.

Louisiana is a state full of images: the swamps, New Orleans, Mardi Gras, sunsets over the Gulf, shrimp boats, musicians and you can add a touch of Voodoo. Longtime curator for The Historic New Orleans Collection John Lawrence joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the history of photography as presented in the collection’s must-have new publication, “Louisiana Lens.” The book is filled with fascinating images dating back from the early days of  “metal, paper and glass” photography to the present digital explosion. Lawrence also recalls some of his all-time favorite photographs.

There are few phrases that can sound as sad as “Orphan train” yet between 1854 and 1928 for thousands of kids who had experienced the fragile immigrant life and the slums of the east coast, the Orphan trains were a chance to experience a new life on farm lands and in rural American towns. Martha Aubert, President of the Opelousas-based Louisiana Orphan Train Museum and board member James Douget joinErrol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the plight of the kids many of whom settled in Louisiana.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about some of the hardships and relocation success stories..

Dennis Woltering had a long and distinguished career as the nightly news anchor on WWL tv, Ch. 4. Since retiring, he is still frequently in front of a camera and has lots of stories to tell.

Acting as an independent producer, he has created documentaries of high-profile locals, including career healthcare pioneer Alton Ochsner and float builder Blaine Kern. (Both were shown on local public tv’s WYES tv., Ch. 12. )

His very latest  effort (also on WYES) is “Louisiana Inventors and Innovators,” six profiles of imaginative locals who had big ideas and made them work. The documentary includes stories like drilling for deep water oil; a better way to peel shrimp and even selling lightweight vacuum cleaners.

Woltering talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde about his latest project. Producer Kelly Massicot handles the technical effort.

Here’s a listening tip: You will also hear how a steak got its sizzle.

Shane Bernard has Louisiana culture in his blood. He also has splashes of Tabasco sauce. Bernard, a historian who has chronicled Cajun culture and the Swamp pop music scene, is also the archivist for Tabasco hot sauce. He, a scholar on the hot stuff, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about, not just the sauce, but its home base of Avery Island, one of the few places in Louisiana where there has been mining activity below the ground. In this case, for salt. Oh yes, we’ll also here about his dad, a former swamp pop superstar, and the surprising revelation of where the barrels come from that are used to age the Tabasco mash.

Here is the amazing story of how the pecan, as we would come to know it, was transformed from being a lowly nut that grew wild in the south to becoming a finely developed food source. All of this was because of an enslaved person who was the gardener at Oak Alley Plantation and who developed an expertise at grafting. Historian Katy Morlas Shannon joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the discoveries from her fascinating new book “Antoine of Oak Alley.”

Oh yes, we will also hear about slave laws and how Louisiana differed from some other southern states.

Though we hope to never see anything like them again, great urban tragedies should never be forgotten – if for no other reason than to to remind us to be vigilant at doing the things to prevent more disasters. Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot talk with Royd Anderson, a documentary maker who specializes in documenting harrowing experiences such as a high-rise fire and a sniping incident from the top of a hotel. 

Both terrorized New Orleans within a matter of weeks 50 years ago.

There are thousands of hurricane stories. Some stories are tragic, others are heroic and many are truly compelling, especially for podcast listening. A documentary recently released by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the statewide public broadcast system, entitled “Cajundome City” tells the story of how a college sports arena suddenly became the center of survival in the 2005 aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and then Rita. Trent Angers, a Lafayette-based author and book publisher who served as a co-producer of the documentary, and father and son co-directors Chris and Christopher Allain join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about the compassion of the Lafayette community and the challenges of the effort. We will also hear about the University of Louisiana Lafayette celebrating its 125 anniversary and the successful dealmaking behind its creation.

Jim Brown has had quite a career including terms as Louisiana’s Secretary of State; Insurance Commissioner and a state senator. He is also a publisher, a columnist and a font of knowledge about the state and its politics.

Brown joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about several topics including why college sports has, in fact, become professional; his thoughts on allowing TV coverage of trials; the state's insurance crisis, and what he hoped to discover during a recent trip to the holy land. It is conversation from an active mind at its best.

Louisiana was one of the pioneering states at offering free healthcare to its citizens. And there were several state-run Charity hospitals, with the New Orleans facility being one of the largest in the nation.  James Ciaravella, a retired surgeon turned author, who spent several years at “Big Charity” joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about medicine for the masses and some of the medical breakthroughs.  Oh yes, we will also hear about Tulane vs. LSU facing each other, not only on the sports field, but in the operating room.

Barbara Sillery has her favorite haunts, not just to visit but to write about. She has written several books about hauntings including in Louisiana, Mississippi (as well as its Delta country), Cape Cod and Nantucket. Sillery joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, with stories to tell.

Sillery, a longtime resident of New Orleans, now lives on Cape Cod, where the ghosts might not have lived on plantation but sometimes as sea captains.

Jerry Lee Lewis made a lot of music and left a lot of stories to tell about unrivaled popularity, unparalleled scandal and a rocking comeback. Jim Brown, former Secretary of State, Insurance commissioner and State Senator joins Louisiana Life Executive Director Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Jerry Lee who was a neighbor in the upstate town of Ferriday, as well as his first legal client.

Oh yes, we will also hear about Lewis’ famous cousins.

New Orleanian Tom Sancton is a master of the clarinet as well as an accomplished journalist, having served as Paris Bureau Chief for Time Magazine.

Sancton joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talks about his fascinating career on stage and behind the keyboard, as well as recall a life lived in two dream cities: Paris and New Orleans.

Oh yes, we will also hear about “The Last Baron,” his latest book about the kidnapping of a French aristocrat and about his acquaintance with a former French President who had New Orleans experiences.

Who would have thought that there would be a working farm on Jackson Avenue right in the heart of Uptown amid the mansions and the magnolias?

Well, there is, and it is more than tomato plants stuck in the ground but all kinds of vegetables and fruits grown scientifically—all part of the urban farm movement . Michael Richard, farm director for Recirculating Farms – a non-profit group committed to being ecologically resourceful yet bountiful in its produce – joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about how serious farming can be developed in urban neighborhoods. He also explains the process and benefits of water recirculation.

Journalist Peter Finney Jr. joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his new book, “Drago’s: An American Journey.” It is a compelling story about the Civitanovich family that migrated from Croatia after World War II and the eventual evolution of a great seafood restaurant, Drago’s, best known for its signature dish Charbroiled Oysters. One of the founder’s sons would be known for the dish; the other son would become an emergency medicine specialist and is coroner of Jefferson Parish. It is a story of hard work, ambition and the American dream that started across the ocean.

...If you ever have a chance, try the oysters.

Louisiana’s longest running weekly news TV program celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. During that time topics have included the Katrina recovery; the David Duke vs. Edwin Edwards gubernatorial runoff; a World’s Fair; the ups and downs of the economy; crime and even the Saints magical season. Marcia Kavanaugh, the WYES TV show’s longtime host, joins Errol Laborde, the program’s producer as well as "Louisiana Insider" host and executive editor of Louisiana Life, to discuss 40 years of big stories as well as top newsmakers.

I guess you might call them faith healers, but they are more than that description because they often rely on certain herbs and plants, as well as handed-down prayer and sometimes even a gentle touch to heal certain maladies. They have long been a part of Cajun culture especially in rural areas away from standard medical treatment. Mary Perrin and Bev Fusel, two traiteuses (the female equivalent of “traiteurs”) from the Lafayette area, and the authors of a newly published book "Healing Traditions of South Louisiana, prayers, plants and poultices" join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about what maladies are best treated by traiteurs and why.

Oh yes, we will also hear about the power of elderberries.

Churches in the Black community are historically known as places where preachers preach with more fervor and where choirs rock the house with hand-clapping joy, hoping for better days.

A documentary produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting entitled, “Louisiana’s Black Church, the Politics of Perseverance,” examines religion in around the state. Executive producer Linda Midgett and producer and reporter Kara St. Cyr join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the triumphs and hopes from the pulpit.  Oh yes, we will also discover a hidden meaning of the name "Moses."

By law, the job of the Lieutenant Governor is not only to be ready when needed, but to also oversee the state’s tourism. COVID-19 has dropped many bombs on the industry and this week, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser talks about the twin challenges of rebuilding tourism and, because there are fewer restaurant customers, the seafood industry. Nungesser joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the future and survival of Louisiana tourism.  Oh yes, there's more... we will also discover how an industry was built involving used shipping containers.

Imagine three great cooking styles served in one place, or written about with recipes in one book. The place is Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse in LaPlace (St. John the Baptist Parish); the book is "Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons." Jarred Zeringue, the chef and owner of the smokehouse and the author of the book, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the joys of smoked foods including meats common to the LaPlace area – like andouille and tasso. The book contains stories from his family, lots of recipes, a list of techniques for Cajun cooking and food photography that is a visual feast in itself. 

Also, he reveals some of the kitchen’s most only-in-Louisiana creations: smoked boudin and, yes, hogshead cheese, too.

This week, Mark Romig, chief marketing officer for tourism development at New Orleans & Company, joins host Errol Laborde to explore one of the world’s most colorful cities – New Orleans. They talk about the future, tourism, the Saints and Pelicans, traditions, hard times and good and things to do. There are even song interludes including the first commercially recorded jazz record, an Indians chant and Louis Armstrong remembering a favorite street. Romig is also the stadium announcer for Saints games. The broadcast ends with a Saints call that we hope to hear often.

Natchitoches is one of Louisiana’s most charming towns. It is also the oldest continuing settlement having been discovered by French explorers, even before New Orleans. The region is known for its rich history, including having been the setting for the film “Steel Magnolias.” Folk artist Clementine Hunter learned her craft nearby and Kate Chopin, having married a man from Natchitoches, lived for a while in neighboring Cloutierville,.

Kelli West, the Marketing and Communications Director of the Natchitoches Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the fascinating stories of Natchitoches, the Cane River country and the town's Christmas Festival. Oh yes, we will also discover the origins of the town’s indigenous meat pie.

This week Jeremy Alford, the publisher and editor of LaPolitics Weekly, joins host Errol Laborde to explore the state’s capitol city. They talk about politics, LSU, favorite haunts and things to do. Enjoy songs, stories about Earl and Huey Long are recalled and wicked comments from Mark Twain of why he disliked the old state capital.

When driving into Baton Rouge, one can be amazed by the object in the distance that looks like a rocket ship on a launch pad about to take off. The building, of course, is the state capitol, the tallest of all such buildings in the country and a monument to Huey Long, whose ambition always seemed to be reaching for the stars.

“A Tall Order: The Louisiana State Capitol,” a documentary produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, tells the story of the building’s history and architecture. Both are imposing. Dorothy Kendrick, the documentary’s producer, and Steve Losavio, an architect with the Louisiana Division of Administration, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to tell stories about the building and the artistic genius behind it.

But there has been tragedy, too. The building’s first floor is the site where Long was assassinated. (There is a memorial park across the street.)

On a happier note, listen closely and you will also hear a tip on why all visitors should take a trip to the 27th floor.

Louisiana was the location for the very first Tarzan movie, back in 1917 when actor Elmo Lincoln swung from the trees near Morgan City where the Atchafalaya Swamp played the role of Africa. Louisiana has produced many more settings including for the early burlesque comedians Abbott and Costello whose rocket flight to mars misfired and they landed in New Orleans where the day happened to be Mardi Gras and they mistook the street maskers for martians.

Alfred Richard, a film critic whose gigs include a weekly appearance of WWL TV’s morning news and frequent appearance on WYES TV’s “Steppin' Out” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the local movie scene. We will also hear the podcast staff’s comments on "Barbie" and, as a bonus, Richard’s experience in the role of “Chocolate Thunder” as one of the longtime member of the 610 Stompers. It is fun conversation worthy of a movie.

In 2010, during the time that Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was Plaquemines Parish’s President, the BP Oil Spill took place. He became immersed in the issue, so much that the national media referred to him as the “Face of the Spill.” As Lt. Gov., Nungesser has additional battles including developing and promoting tourism.

Nugesser joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to express strong feelings about diversion projects as well as attracting visitors to the state. We will also hear about his recent trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Rubensteins New Orleans has always been a place to shop for quality clothes. Now, the New Orleans business provides a quality place to stay.

Located at Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, Rubensteins has long shown a commitment to the city’s downtown. That support has been further expressed by combining some of its adjacent buildings into a new quality boutique hotel.

Family member Kenny Rubenstein, an owner and general manager of the store, talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and producer Kelly Massicot about retail, urban downtowns and customer loyalty. He also explains the intricacies of running two businesses that not only provide a place to spend your day, but to end your day as well.

There is a place in Terrebonne Parish near the Gulf of Mexico known for its beautiful scenery, bountiful seafood and a population of indigenous people. It is also known for its fragile existence so near the water, as tested by Hurricane Ida. Ben Johnson, a producer for Louisiana Public Broadcasting, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his documentary “The Plight of Pointe-Au-Chien,” a study of both the land and the native people who survive there.

Oh yes, we’ll also hear about some of the creative indigenous dishes served at the dinner table.

“Down the River” is more than a variant of a poker game. For the writer it can be a stream for words; for the adventurer it can be a highway past great cities and alongside bountiful wetlands. Boyce Upholt, a prolific author who describes himself as a “nature critic” talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, about his new book, “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi.” The greatest of all the continent’s rivers, the Mississippi River provides life for much of the country’s central section. It is also a source of wealth and concerns; particularly monitoring its levees as well as assuring that the stream does not wander off course. The book includes stories of canoeing down river; the area’s blues heritage; and the challenge of keeping the river environmentally sound. Meanwhile, “ol’ man river he just keeps rollin’ along.”

Most of us can go all day without worrying about what fuels our tractors need. If you are a farmer, though, you may have a lot to worry about, especially when a war can cause a diesel fuel shortage. (Also, fertilizer scarcity.)

Mike Deliberto, an economist for the LSU Agriculture School, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the status of Louisiana agriculture and what war can do to it. (Hint: It’s not good.)

Oh yes, we will also hear what the state’s top crops are and listen to a segment from a Ray Charles song about sweet potato pie.