Podcast
Say More
Hosted by The Boston Globe · EN
Big ideas and big debates, explained through intimate conversations with the compelling personalities who shape them. AI and biotech. Higher education and health care. Climate and sustainability. Politics and the media. Culture and culture wars. Hosted by Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung.
42episodes
Episodes
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Politics Panel: Was Barney Frank Right? Plus Rent Control and the Governor’s Race.
May 2800:32:48Tap to summarizeIn his final days, Massachusetts political legend Barney Frank had harsh words for the democratic party. This week on Say More’s political panel, Opinion writer Joan Vennochi, and Globe Ideas writer Abdallah Fayyad discuss the salience of Frank’s final message, and what democrats can learn from him. With Say More host Anna Kusmer, they then discuss the problem with the proposed rent control ballot measure in Mass, and end with a reflection on Governor Maura Healey and her growing unpopularity. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
Transcribe →Chris Lydon Got Barney Frank his First Job in Politics.
May 2600:16:29Tap to summarizeBarney Frank, who died last week at the age of 86, was one of the most unique and entertaining politicians of his time. Frank got his start in politics right here in Boston working for Mayor Kevin White in the late 60s. Journalist Chris Lydon introduced them. He was a Boston Globe reporter at the time, and now hosts the show Open Source at WBUR. On today’s BONUS episode of Say More, Chris discusses the fateful day he brought Barney Frank to Kevin White’s house to introduce them. Email us at saymore@globe.com
Transcribe →Isaac Fitzgerald and Johnny Appleseed are Massachusetts Dirtbags.
May 2100:31:27Tap to summarizeAmerican legend Johnny Appleseed was from here. He hailed from North Central Massachusetts, just a couple miles down the road from Isaac Fitzgerald, a contemporary writer whose first memoir “Dirtbag, Massachusetts” told the story of his misspent youth in the teenage pregnancy capital of the state. This week on Say More, Fitzgerald joins Anna Kusmer to discuss his new book, “American Rambler” which follows the footsteps of Appleseed from New England to Indiana, in search of nature, camaraderie, and some truths about America. Email us at saymore@globe.com. To read Isaac's piece in the Boston Globe, click here: The best rest stop in America is in Lancaster, Mass.
Transcribe →Are Casinos Preying on Asians in Massachusetts? A Globe Team Investigated.
May 1400:24:44Tap to summarizeAsians are disproportionately gambling at Massachusetts casinos. They are also disproportionately addicted, in debt, and in trouble. A recent Globe investigation found that casinos have extensive strategies to target Asians and encourage them to gamble more than they can afford. While the state spends millions to help with gambling addiction disorders, most of the resources are not reaching Asian problem gamblers. Reporter Chris Serres talks to Say More’s Shirley Leung about what can be done. Email us at saymore@globe.com. Read "A Losing Bet" from The Boston Globe here.
Transcribe →BONUS: At the Boston Globe, the Work from Home Debate Rages on
May 800:25:49Tap to summarizeWe bring you a BONUS episode of Say More this week, because a debate is raging among Boston Globe columnists Larry Edelman and Shirley Leung. Larry wrote a column applauding Fidelity Investments for ordering its workers back to the office 5 days a week - saying this move is what’s needed to revitalize downtown Boston. Shirley wrote a rebuttal saying hybrid work is here to stay. Employees cannot go back to the way it was. Who do you agree with? Email us at saymore@globe.com. To sign up for Larry Edelman’s Trendlines newsletter, click here. To sign up for Shirley Leung’s newsletter Power Play, click here.
Transcribe →Patrick Radden Keefe on “London Falling” and his Boston Roots
May 600:31:29Tap to summarizeYou might know him from his best-selling book “Say Nothing,” about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Patrick Radden Keefe, a staff writer at The New Yorker, writes nonfiction page-turners about crime and family secrets. Keefe’s new book “London Falling” employs his signature story-telling magic to unravel the story of a 19-year-old kid who fell to his death from a luxury apartment building in London. This week on Say More, Keefe talks to Anna Kusmer about how this story tells a wider tale about how the mega-wealthy operate in the world’s richest cities. They also discuss Keefe’s Boston upbringing and his literary influences. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
Transcribe →Politics Panel: How are Israel and Palestine Affecting US Politics?
Apr 3000:35:02Tap to summarizeThe Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be 5,000 miles away, but it’s also central to US politics at the moment, showing up in primary races across the country. Democrats are split, and many see it as a litmus test for other issues. This week on Say More’s political panel, opinion editor Jim Dao sits down with Ideas writer Abdallah Fayyad and editorial writer Shira Schoenberg to discuss American foreign policy, Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu, and the shared future of Palestinians and Jews the world over. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
Transcribe →Joe Kennedy III on Politics, Energy, and His Famous Family
Apr 2300:30:04Tap to summarizeIf you lived around Massachusetts in the 1980s, you might remember hearing ads for 1-877-JOE-4-OIL. Joe Kennedy II dedicated much of his life to delivering discounted oil to families in need through his organization Citizens Energy. Now his son, former Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III is picking up the mantle, and helping the organization shift to renewables – think solar panels. The younger Kennedy joins Shirley Leung on Say More to talk about his new energy ventures, family politics, and the public’s enduring fascination with the Kennedys. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
Transcribe →Fraud, Laundering, and other Fish Crimes. Who was “The Codfather”?
Apr 1600:33:40Tap to summarizeFor years, the New Bedford docks were home to one of the most notorious fraudsters in Massachusetts fishing history. His name is Carlos Rafael, but you might remember him as “The Codfather.” Besides being an exciting yarn full of conspiracy and crime, Carlos’s story ends up being a fascinating window into the challenge and perils of regulating fisheries in the US. This week on Say More, GBH News host and producer Ian Coss talks to host Shirley Leung about his new podcast series, “Catching the Codfather.” You can listen to the series here.
Transcribe →A Western Set in Ireland? Once Again, Tana French Reinvents the Mystery Novel
Apr 900:26:58Tap to summarizeMurder makes demands. It’s a phrase underpinning THE KEEPER, the newest novel by Tana French, an author known best for her Dublin Murder Squad series. French was born in Vermont, but grew up all over the world. She landed, finally, in Ireland, where she fell in love with the humor and story-telling culture. This week on Say More, French talks to host Anna Kusmer about her latest trilogy which melds together western and mystery genres, set in the Irish countryside. French also reveals whether or not she is a dog person. Email us at saymore@globe.com.
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