Episodes
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Regional News Roundtable: The surprising departure of Rhode Island Rep. Cicilline
In a surprise announcement, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline said he is stepping away from politics. Cicilline has represented Rhode Island in Congress for over a decade. During his time in office, he took on Big Tech and served as the House impeachment manager for former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial. He is also openly gay and an advocate for LGBTQ rights. So with all that apparent success, why is Cicilline resigning? "There were a couple factors. One, he was offered a job as CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, the big nonprofit funder here in Rhode Island. He's going to more than triple his salary to $650,000 compared what he made in Congress," WPRI politics and business editor Ted Nesi told Under the Radar. "And he acknowledged it was just less appealing to stay in Congress, in the U.S. House, as a Democrat who is now in the minority, with a Republican majority who has very little he agrees with them on. And if we're being honest, Cicilline tried and failed to get into senior leadership position when the House leaders were changing over." Nesi said Cicilline's resignation was a shock to "everyone in Rhode Island" given the fact he was only a couple months into his latest term. Cicilline officially steps down on June 1. The special election to replace him will likely happen in November, so there will be several months without Rhode Island's 1st District represented in the U.S. House. Also on Under the Radar's Regional News Roundtable, guests discussed the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Tens of thousands of cars drive across the nearly 100-year-old bridges to Cape Cod each day. Though the bridges are in desperate need of repairs, the federal government has rejected multiple requests for funding — although President Joe Biden's latest budget proposal would include a "down payment." "These bridges apparently have not a great design, and they're very difficult and expensive to repair. And it's that cost of repair — year over year — which is really driving the conversation here that they just have to be replaced entirely," said Steve Junker, managing editor of news at CAI. "Right before the pandemic, they were talking about a price tag to replace both bridges of about $1 billion. And everybody thought 'Oh, that's a lot of money.' Now they're saying it could be as much as $4 billion." Arnesen said now is the time to think big about the bridge reconstruction. "What the 'H' are you building? Because it's not just about a bridge. Because you're talking about also a bridge to the future. And what we know about the future is climate change. What we know about the future is maybe the desire for more public transportation. ... It's not just about a bridge, everyone. It changes the whole course of life." And, lastly, Under the Radar guests discussed how a high school in New Hampshire is training students for the Granite state’s burgeoning outdoor tourism industry. GUESTS Steve Junker, Managing Editor of News at CAI, the Cape, Coast and Islands affiliate of GBH Ted Nesi, politics and business editor and investigative reporter for WPRI Arnie Arnesen, host of “The Attitude with Arnie Arnesen” on WNHN -
Michelle Miller grapples with identity in new book, 'Belonging'
Michelle Miller makes her living telling other people’s stories. But now author Michelle Miller has written her own story, a poignant and captivating heartbreaking chronicle of her quest to find and connect with her mother. “Belonging: A Daughter’s Search for Identity Through Loss and Love” is her first book and our March selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” GUEST Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS Saturday Mornings, national Correspondent for CBS News and author of “Belonging: A Daughter’s Search for Identity Through Loss and Love” -
New Hampshire Insiders set the scene for the 2024 presidential race
For better or worse, the 2024 presidential election season has begun. Candidates from former President Trump to former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley are already making their case in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. And while long-standing tradition has held the Granite State as the first presidential election primary in the nation, Democrats are pushing to get South Carolina in that coveted spot – much to New Hampshire’s dismay. We also analyze a new local TV series that considers why a certain kind of libertarian is flocking to New Hampshire. It's our ongoing segment, New Hampshire Insiders. GUESTS Arnie Arnesen, former New Hampshire democratic legislator, former nominee for governor and candidate for U.S. Congress, host of WNHN’s The Attitude with Arnie Arnesen Paul Steinhauser, national politics reporter for Fox News and campaign columnist for The Concord Monitor -
Pop Culture Roundtable: Chris Rock slaps back
Almost a year after actor Will Smith jumped onto the stage of the Academy Awards to slap Chris Rock, Rock exacts revenge with a new comedy special. And in the notoriously competitive movie industry, the independent film studio A24 has skyrocketed to success with a multibillion-dollar valuation — and 18 Oscar nominations this year. Plus, did the movement “#OscarsSoWhite” lead to this year’s record number of Oscar-nominated Asian and Asian American performers? It’s our Pop Culture Roundtable. GUESTS Michael Jeffries, dean of academic affairs and professor of American studies at Wellesley College Linda Liu, lecturer of sociology at UMass Boston, who specializes in cinema, media and cultural studies -
Has Asian representation in film improved with ‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’?
It's been five years since "Crazy Rich Asians" featuring an all-Asian cast broke global box office records. Its debut kicked off the so-called "Asian August" in 2018, with the release of films like Netflix’s "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" highlighting the work of Asian American and Asian artists, and with that a promise of more opportunities. Now, the movie "Everything, Everywhere, All At Once" is breaking records, and thrusting veteran and new Asian actors into a rarified spotlight. Is this the long hoped-for payoff? GUESTS Jenny Korn, founder and coordinator of the Race, Tech, and Media Working Group at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Elena Creef, professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Wellesley College. She specializes in Asian American visual history in photography, film and pop culture. -
As federal food benefits decline, Mass. food banks expect a surge
Even before the pandemic ravaged the country, some Americans struggled to keep their families fed. But a boost from pandemic emergency funding helped make access to food possible for many. Now, as those additional benefits have ended, demand at food banks is expected to balloon. And as some people go to food banks for the first time, the need for culturally diverse foods, ingredients and recipes is stronger than ever. GUESTS Kannan Thiruvengadam, director at Eastie Farm, an East Boston farm and community organization Jennifer Johnson, executive director of Gaining Ground, an organic regenerative farm in Concord, Massachusetts Catherine D’amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank -
As streaming services boom, cable TV continues its decline
Remember how we used to complain — there’s nothing to watch on TV? Nowadays, there might be too much to watch. From Abbott Elementary to The Last of Us, new shows seem to be cropping up by the day as streaming services boast tens of millions of subscribers. But with the rise of streaming services comes the fall of cable — a recent report reveals fewer than half of American adults now have a cable subscription. How does this impact not just traditional TV watching, but how consumers enjoy the entire spectrum of entertainment, from Hollywood blockbusters to local news? GUESTS Alissa Wilkinson, Senior Culture reporter and Critic for Vox James K. Willcox, Senior Electronics Editor for Consumer Reports Jana Arbanas, vice chair for telecom, media and entertainment at Deloitte -
Why one cartoonist argues comics are an untapped channel for storytelling
This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley: Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther — that's probably what most of us picture when we think about comic books. But a local cartoonist argues that comics are much more than just superheroes or Sunday paper comic strips. In his exhibit, “Comics Is A Medium, Not A Genre,” Joel Christian Gill includes almost 200 works, ranging from Charles M. Schulz’s first Peanuts comic in 1950, to Black cartoonists who have used their drawings to tell stories about race and social justice. We sit down with Gill and discuss his argument why comics are not just for children, but everyone. GUEST Joel Christian Gill, cartoonist, author, chair of the MFA in Visual Narrative at Boston University, and curator of the “Comics Is A Medium, Not A Genre” exhibit at Boston University -
Greater Boston guaranteed income programs provide inspiration for the country
From the 18th century philosopher, Thomas Paine, to 2020 Presidential candidate, Andrew Yang, the concept of guaranteed income — providing people in need with cash to meet basic needs, essentially — has been floating around for centuries. Critics say no strings attached cash payments are not a long-term solution to uplift the economically fragile. But advocates point to successful pilot programs, including some in Greater Boston, are inspiring widespread support across the nation. We sit down with leaders of the movement and a local program participant. GUESTS Sumbul Siddiqui, mayor of Cambridge Saadia McConville, communications director of Mayors for Guaranteed Income Victor, participant in the Cambridge RISE guaranteed income program. GBH is identifying Victor only by his first name to protect his privacy. -
Food and Wine Roundtable: Japanese whisky is going down smooth
This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley: You may have already sampled sake, perhaps the best-known Japanese alcoholic beverage. But the popularity of Japanese whisky may soon rival Japan's most familiar drink. And, many James Beard Award nominees are restaurants and chefs in Massachusetts featuring Asian cuisine. Plus, from Back Bay to Watertown, local Black-owned restaurants are drawing new attention. Join our food and wine contributors as we sip and savor those stories and more. GUESTS Amy Traverso, senior food editor at Yankee Magazine, cohost of GBH’s Weekends with Yankee and author of “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook” Jonathon Alsop, founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of “The Wine Lover’s Devotional”
