Episodes
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Honoring 100 years of visionary Black activist, writer James Baldwin
James Baldwin was the writer of some of the most acclaimed books in America’s literary history, an essayist whose nonfiction works masterfully reflected his work toward human rights and equality, and a Black political activist who went toe-to-toe with the white conservative intellectual William F. Buckley in a televised debate about race relations and who urged the civil rights movement to go even further in its mission. James Baldwin is an American icon, and “Under the Radar” joins this year’s worldwide celebration of what would have been Baldwin’s 100th birthday. -
Life in plastic: Tupperware’s journey from ‘wonder bowl’ to American icon
When it comes to leftovers, these days, any plastic – or glass – container will do. But for decades, that plastic storage container was Tupperware, created by Earl Tupper right here in Massachusetts. Though the Tupperware brand declared bankruptcy earlier this year, the name and the items have been ingrained in American cultural history. We speak with filmmaker Laurie Kahn about the story of Tupperware and its journey from home-party novelty to cultural phenomenon. -
Local news roundtable: Debt slows down the T, redevelopment in Dorchester and the North End, and the latest in the BlueHub Capital saga.
Residents of Fields Corner are upset about the opening of a chain restaurant. Can local businesses survive the arrival of a popular nation-wide pizza chain? Debt is declared as the MBTA’s most toxic problem, and it dates back to the early 1900s! Will riders ultimately be the ones paying to get the T out of the hole? And is it predatory lending or helping families stay in their homes? The latest in the Bluehub Capital saga. It’s our local news roundtable! -
Food and wine: Try a light white wine – and a ‘cook from frozen’ turkey – this holiday season
The holiday countdown is underway, and with it comes much anticipation of making the perfect turkey, whipping up the right sides and finding a great culinary gift. Our food and wine experts are here to tell us more about the latest food trends, what to sip during Thanksgiving dinner and how Advent calendars are appealing to the young – and the young at heart. -
Donald Trump made inroads with Latinos. These local experts are not surprised.
In this year’s general election the Sleeping Giant – Latino voters – awakened. Latino men were part of the coalition that catapulted President-Elect Donald Trump to a sweeping victory. Candidate Donald Trump promised mass deportation of America’s estimated 11 million undocumented residents; will it come to fruition? And in Arizona, where 33 percent of the population is Latino, Democrat Ruben Gallego beat out Trump-backed candidate Kari Lake becoming Arizona’s first Latino US Senator. It’s our Latinx news roundtable! -
“The Rulebreaker” explores the trailblazing legacy of TV icon Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters is known for breaking barriers in the world of journalism, but who was she behind the cameras? Susan Page, the Washington D.C. bureau chief for USA today who’s also a best-selling author, aims to answer that question in her latest book, “The Rule Breaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters” – our November pick for Bookmarked: the Under the Radar book club. -
Can Massachusetts lead the nation in abolishing food insecurity?
Food insecurity is a year-round problem, but as the holidays approach, what is often an invisible problem gets more public attention. Nearly 2 million Massachusetts residents are food insecure, meaning they don't have enough to eat or don't know where their next meal will come from. We speak with three members of Make Hunger History, a coalition of organizations, anti-hunger advocates and policymakers, to hear more about the state of hunger in Massachusetts. -
Robocalls, racist jokes and throwback ads: What could swing the pendulum on Election Day?
The Mass Politics Profs are back for one last hour-long all-politics special right before Election Day! Could Latinos, motivated by recent comments against Puerto Rico, turn out for Vice President Kamala Harris? Are former President Donald Trump’s anti-trans ads effective? And will we find out the results of the election on Tuesday, November 5 … or months later? All that and more on this week’s episode! -
Commemorating 125 years of Alfred Hitchcock, the ‘Master of Suspense’
This year, the world commemorates 125 years of the iconic film director Alfred Hitchcock. Although Hitchcock died in 1980, his work continues to influence filmmakers to this day. And his movies like “Psycho,” “Rear Window,” “Vertigo” and “The Birds” are still considered some of the best films ever made. John Fawell, professor emeritus at Boston University, joins us to tell us more about the life and legacy of Hitchcock. -
What exactly do Clerks of Courts do?
It’s likely most primary voters did not recognize one of the most contested races on the ballot – the race for Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County, which drew big money and high-ranking endorsements. It’s also likely that even the informed voters have no idea what Clerks of Courts do or why it is an elected position. So “Under the Radar” decided to go straight to the source – candidates Allison Cartwright, future Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County, and John Powers, Suffolk County Clerk of Courts for Civil Business, to learn more.
