The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: "Terrific, Tremendous New Health Plans, and Lynn Nottage on her play ‘Sweat’"
Host: David Remnick
Date: March 31, 2017

OVERVIEW

This episode is a tapestry of satirical commentary, cultural analysis, and artistic reflection. David Remnick and his guests explore three main themes:

1. Satirical Take on New Health Plans: A fictional and satirical segment skewers the American health care debate as it stood in 2017, lampooning the then-Trump administration's promises of "tremendous" reform.
2. Lynn Nottage’s “Sweat” and Working Class America: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Wariski discuss their research and creative process behind the Broadway play “Sweat”—an exploration of economic hardship, race, and community in Reading, Pennsylvania, which became particularly resonant in the wake of Trump’s election.
3. Stories and Personalities in Arts and Media: The episode also features a conversation with Jessica Lange about her career and roles, and a vignette about experimental musician Joe Williams (Motion Graphics).

The episode is rich in storytelling, sociopolitical analysis, and personal anecdotes, with a keen ear for the voices of both artists and ordinary Americans.

1. SATIRE: "Terrific, Tremendous New Health Plans" (00:29–02:37)

Purpose:
A biting parody of the promises made by the Trump administration to replace the Affordable Care Act with something "tremendous."

Key Segments:

• Exaggerated health care "plans" are detailed, each more absurd than the last (e.g., Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, DOL Emergency, Granite, Single Payer).

Memorable Quotes:

• "For a monthly premium of $250,000, this plan gives you prime access to all health care options. No referrals or ailments required." — Satirical Announcer (00:54)
• "If you're a woman who needs quick and compassionate help with family planning or contraception, this taxpayer funded plan allows you to see any in network Priest." — Satirical Announcer (01:48)
• "A single payer covers the entire cost of your health care. The single payer is you." — Satirical Announcer (02:29)

Tone:
Playful, biting satire with over-the-top infomercial enthusiasm highlighting the outlandishness of proposed reforms.

2. LYNN NOTTAGE & KATE WARISKI ON “SWEAT” AND WORKING-CLASS AMERICA (02:37–20:35)

Setting the Stage (02:37–04:19)

• Remnick introduces Lynn Nottage’s play Sweat, set in Reading, Pennsylvania—a city emblematic of post-industrial economic struggle, job loss, and evolving racial dynamics.
• The play, though begun before Trump’s presidential run, proved eerily prescient as the campaign exploited similar issues.

Researching Real Communities (04:19–06:20)

• Nottage and Wariski detail their research trips to Reading: talking with local officials, organizations, and townspeople to collect stories.

• Their process, more experiential than journalistic, sought deep conversations and immersion.

  "We reached out to the mayor, who was very welcoming. ... We reached out to some of the places like United Way, and from there we met people, and then it rippled out." — Lynn Nottage (04:38)

Painting a Picture of Reading & Character Formation (06:00–07:35)

• Nottage was struck by Reading’s surprising physical beauty, which conceals its deep economic challenges.

• Characters in Sweat were developed from real-life stories, especially those of steelworkers whose jobs disappeared overnight.

  "They arrive at their factory one day and all of the machines are gone. And they're told basically they don't have jobs." — Lynn Nottage (07:06)

• New tactics: hiring temps at lower wages, skirting the protections and benefits of permanent work.

Race, Resentment, and Workplace Tensions (08:25–10:34)

• The play’s plot is built around working-class friendships strained by competition and race—specifically, the fallout when two women (one white, one black) vie for the same promotion.

• Nottage explains how unspoken racism surfaced in conversations:

  "Just under the surface was this unspoken racism. ... [People would say] it's not working because of them. ... 'Them' is always who they consider the interlopers, the outsiders." — Lynn Nottage (09:09)

• The focus of resentment: Oscar—a Puerto Rican/Dominican character representing newer immigrants willing to work for less.

From Research to Drama (10:34–11:10)

• After research, Nottage sets aside transcripts and notes to let inspiration drive the creative phase:

  "I push aside all of the research and then I don't look at it again. I need room to be free and to roam." — Lynn Nottage (10:55)

Political Theater & Influence (11:10–13:18)

• Discussion of formative political theater works, including Athol Fugard ifluencing Kate Wariski and Tony Kushner’s Angels in America for Nottage.

• The challenge and necessity of political plays:

  "People will resist what has to be said, which is something that we've definitely encountered ... There is a real resistance in our culture to engage with political topics in the theater." — Lynn Nottage (12:39) "A lot of the writers I admire had agendas...if you don't have an agenda, then why bother, right?" — Lynn Nottage (13:08)

Taking “Sweat” to Reading: Community Response (13:18–16:31)

• The company staged Sweat in Reading for its residents, resulting in profound engagement:

  "Through the course of the evening, they were embraced and celebrated in such a wonderful way." — Kate Wariski (14:03)

• The talk-back shifted from Q&A to testimonial, with locals sharing personal stories of unemployment and pride:

  "One woman stood up and she said...thank you. I have been in this situation in which I've actually felt ashamed that I'm not working because it's been what has defined me for so long." — Lynn Nottage (15:29) "Many of us are not seen in what we do for those eight or 10 hours. So thank you for presenting the work that we do for eight to ten hours a day." — Unnamed Reading audience member (16:08)

“Sweat,” Trump, and the National Lens (16:31–19:08)

• Sweat’s meaning shifted after Trump’s election—audiences and critics read it as “the Trump voter’s story,” though locals saw it as their own reality.

• Nottage emphasizes the diversity of political views among Reading’s workers:

  "Among some of the steelworkers that we interviewed, some of them were, like, staunch Bernie supporters and would never pull the lever for Trump. And then there's some, like, there's one guy in particular who is a staunch Trump voter, but only...because he wants to keep his gun and he believes that he's going to bring back jobs." — Lynn Nottage (17:51)

• As the play moves to Broadway, Nottage notes the appeal to a wide audience, including those from communities similar to Reading.

Behind the Scenes and What’s Next (19:08–20:35)

• Wariski and Nottage describe attending performances, sometimes with a glass of pink champagne.

• News: Nottage announces a comedic sequel to Sweat, set in Reading, titled Floyd:

  "I actually have a sequel called Floyd, which is set in Reading, and it's a comedy. ... I felt like we need to laugh a little bit now." — Lynn Nottage (20:13)

3. FAKE NEWS IN HISTORY – JELANI COBB & JOSHUA ZEITZ (22:15–32:11)

Premise:
Historian Joshua Zeitz and New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb discuss the precedent for "fake news" in American history, focusing on widespread rumors in the American South in 1942 about a supposed black rebellion.

Discussion Points:

• Fake news existed long before the internet; rumors in 1942 were spread by word of mouth and local papers.
• Such conspiratorial thinking often flares during periods of demographic, economic, or political upheaval.
• The mechanics of rumor and media credibility are contrasted with today’s challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• "When America, or part of America is undergoing extreme economic or demographic or political change ... it becomes a way for people whose lives are being upended to explain that change." — Joshua Zeitz (25:19)
• "Democracy kind of requires that we take rationality for granted. And we've seen these ... irrational, outlandish, false, incredible ideas gain a significant amount of traction." — Jelani Cobb (28:44–29:04)

4. JESSICA LANGE ON ACTING, "FEUD," AND HOLLYWOOD (34:01–47:43)

Overview:
Jessica Lange speaks with Hilton Als about her journey from aspiring mime in Paris to A-list Hollywood star, reflecting on performance, finding a character's voice, and the challenge of portraying real people (e.g., Joan Crawford in "Feud").

Key Moments & Quotes:

• On the power of words in acting:

  "So this is the power of text. I get it. And I think really, partly what happened was the idea of voice." — Jessica Lange (36:24)

• On Joan Crawford's manufactured persona:

  "Obviously...she was from San Antonio, Texas, dirt poor, no education whatsoever...so when she arrives at MGM...she embraced that whole MGM speak 150% so that she could always feel above her station in a way." — Jessica Lange (37:46)

• On balancing career and motherhood:

  "When it came right down to it, the choice was always my children, was always my family. ... The career suffers for that. But in the long run, I'd rather look back and say, oh, I didn't do that part ... than to say, oh, those were the biggest regrets." — Jessica Lange (46:32)

Tone:
Warm, candid, reflective — filled with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, thoughtful musings on gender and age in Hollywood, and the process of crafting a character.

5. MUSIC, TECHNOLOGY & CREATIVITY: JOE WILLIAMS ("MOTION GRAPHICS") (48:01–54:13)

Segment Summary:
Josh Rothman profiles Joe Williams (aka Motion Graphics), whose experimental music both reflects and is built from the tools of the digital age.

Discussion Points:

• Williams uses MIDI controllers and computer tools as "folk instruments of the present" (52:34–53:26).
• His process embraces digital distraction and the ambient sounds of the internet era.
• The music blurs the line between human and computerized interaction.

Memorable Quotes:

• "It makes total sense to think of the MIDI controller as like a folk instrument. I think that's like, totally true." — Joe Williams (53:06)
• "Joe's just doing what musicians have been doing for a long time, which is make music that reflects the world as he experiences it." — Josh Rothman (53:26)

HIGHLIGHTS & STANDOUT MOMENTS

• Satirical Health Plans: A hilarious depiction of health care absurdities (00:49–02:37).
• Emotional Heartbreak: Nottage's recounting of steelworkers' sense of betrayal and personal loss (07:06–08:25).
• Race and Resentment Dialogue: Insightful take on how economic stress stirs up latent racism (09:06–10:34).
• Community Reaction: The Reading audience's raw emotional response to seeing their lives represented on stage (15:29–16:31).
• Historical Fake News Parallels: Zeitz and Cobb unpack how rumor-mongering in times of social upheaval is nothing new (24:22–28:44).
• Jessica Lange on Acting: Her transformation from mime to actress and reflections on motherhood versus career (36:24; 46:32).
• Digital Folk Music: The reimagining of music technology as the new "folk instrument" (52:34–53:26).

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• Satirical Health Plans: 00:29–02:37
• Lynn Nottage/Kate Wariski Interview (Sweat): 02:37–20:35
• Jelani Cobb & Joshua Zeitz – Fake News in History: 22:15–32:11
• Jessica Lange & Hilton Als – Acting and Hollywood: 34:01–47:43
• Joe Williams (Motion Graphics) – Music & Technology: 48:01–54:13

CONCLUSION

This episode is an exemplar of the New Yorker Radio Hour’s blend of social critique, cultural reporting, and personal reflection. Whether dissecting the politics of health care, giving voice to working-class Americans, examining the power of rumor, or delving into the creative process of renowned artists, the episode is at once sharp-witted and deeply humane.

Recommended for listeners seeking:

• Satirical perspectives on current events
• In-depth explorations of art and politics
• Stories from America’s economic margins
• Reflections on creativity in changing times