WGBH Radio; The Callie Crossley Show

I'm Cally Crossley This is the Cali Crossley Show. Today we're hitting the rewind button on this week's news from the great lady's front pages to the stories on the small screen and the reporting that went under the radar. It's a hyper local look at the news that was and wasn't. We'll be dropping in on online communities and alternative presses. For a look at the big stories from the small papers where today's neighborhood news becomes tomorrow's mainstream headlines. Well top of the hour venturing from the serious to the sublimely ridiculous with Greg time on tour of the tabloids and a round up of this week's pop culture. Up next on the callee Crossley Show from gumshoe reporting the gossip rags. First the news. From NPR News in Washington I'm Windsor Johnston far fewer jobs were added to the

economy in May and the unemployment rate ticked up a little. That's according to the Labor Department. The stock markets are trading lower. And as NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports investors are worried this will raise existing concerns. The stock market's already had a bad month as Europe's economy continues to deteriorate raising questions about the viability of banks there. But economists expected the U.S. economy to grow its employment base last month by about 150000 instead. Employers added fewer than half that and the previous two months of job growth was revised downward. It was disappointing news on many scores the number of people who have been unemployed for more than half a year grew the broader measure of people who are underemployed. Also increased. Yuki Noguchi NPR News Washington. European countries are calling on the UN's top human rights body to propose a war crimes probe into last week's massacre in Syria. Over 100 people including 49 children were killed. Diplomats from the 27 nation European Union say they want an

emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council to pass a resolution that is stronger than a draft tabled by Qatar Turkey and the United States. U.N. envoy Kofi Annan is urging Syrian President Bashar Assad to comply with the terms of the peace strategy that he negotiated and Assad agreed to and warns this window of opportunity may close. Bold actions has to be taken by President Assad and the Syrian government to put real energy into the implementation of the plan of the six point plan and that this is not something that can go on forever. Annan told a gathering in Beirut that he sees danger of the Syrian conflict spreading. Ireland has come out in favor of a European treaty imposing strict fiscal rules on countries that use the euro. NPR's Philip Reeves says a final results from a referendum on that treaty show the Irish have approved it. This is a big relief for Ireland's government. It feared a no vote would drive away investors

and prevent Ireland from accessing further possible bailout funds. Rejecting the treaty would have signaled that after several years of high unemployment and mass migration the Irish public's had enough of harsh austerity measures imposed in return for a big IMF an EU bailout official said turnout for the referendum was about 50 percent. But the treaties passed comfortably. A no vote would not have affected the treaties ratification that only needs the approval of 12 eurozone countries but it would have dealt a blow to efforts led by Germany to solve Europe's crisis. Philip Reeves NPR News. At last check on Wall Street the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down two hundred twenty five points at twelve thousand 171. The Nasdaq composite down 63 at twenty seven sixty five. The S&P down 26 at Twelve eighty four. This is NPR News. From the WGBH radio newsroom in Boston I'm Judy you'll with the local stories we're following Suffolk County prosecutors have dropped rape charges against a former Boston University hockey player. Prosecutors said during a court hearing today that

they are no longer pursuing the case against Mack Nicastro. The Suffolk County DA's office said in a statement that prosecutors determined they could not prove their case against a Castro beyond a reasonable doubt and they quote had an ethical obligation not to pursue it further. The 22 year old Castro said he's relieved and he just wants to move on. Residents of western and central Massachusetts are pausing to reflect on their losses and their resilience. One year after tornadoes cut a path of destruction through their lives Governor Patrick will tour a recovery site in Monson then head to West Springfield to dedicate a garden in memory of the three people killed as a result of the tornadoes. Manson received one of the storm's biggest blows when a twister with winds of 160 miles an hour touched down in the heart of its downtown. Meantime the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Western Massachusetts until 9:00 o'clock tonight. The weather service says everybody should keep an eye to the sky and be alert for severe weather warnings. Massachusetts Democrats gather in Springfield tomorrow for their state convention

and it appears that Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren may hear more about her inability to prove that she has Native American ancestry this time from Native Americans local Cherokee say they're planning a peaceful protest outside the convention where Warren and her Democratic rival Marissa Franco will push to get on the ballot. Support for NPR comes from America's Natural Gas Alliance representing the natural gas industry and supporting nearly three million jobs across the country. A N G A US Boston weather sunshine highs in the 60s this afternoon partly cloudy skies overnight lows in the 50s. Rain and a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow highs in the 60s and rain on Sunday right now at 66 in Boston. You'll find more news at WGBH news dot org. That afternoon I'm Kalee Crosley Today we're taking a look at the week's local news with John Rouche editor of the Jamaica Plain Gazette and Mission Hill does it. Peter Katz is executive editor of The Boston Phoenix. And Seth Daniels senior reporter of the independent news group

which includes the Revere Journal. Welcome back everyone. Oh you have a right to be here. OK John I got to start with you because we talked a little bit a couple few weeks ago about this the green development and how everybody is all happy about it but now according to your paper you've had to editorialize it it might be threatened. Yeah well and this is in Mission Hill the city has a large parcel of land that has been sitting there for oh gosh 20 years or more now. And community gardeners basically took it over. Put some gardens there put a park there that they call the art park some mass art students put some art in there and so on and so forth it's a nice little neighborhood asset. Now the city wants to do what it calls green housing development there it has a pilot program that it's been working on to do high energy efficiency new housing etc. etc. but you know this raises the question of what's going to happen to the green space there and

the actual community gardens in our park. Pretty clear that it's going to at best be shrunken down relocated and then there's questions of access once it becomes somebody s lot less actually. So there's a bit of neighborhood dispute about what what green means green about women is mean. I think there's also questions about whether people have occupied that land. They have some ownership rights but nobody has actually raised that except me so we'll see. OK. Say anybody else does. Wow I mean this really is a competing green interest story which is really quite fascinating so you have that community garden which is engaged so many people in the community and then wonderful for folks. And right at the heart of the locavore movement here Peter and and now we're talking about you know having some housing which is always needed. And having it be green which is important and forward thinking.

It's a tough one. It isn't that land though John wasn't that abandoned the word the houses that burnt down on that land supposedly Apparently the people are struggling to find the history of it even the city is but yeah that is the word that there used to be. Certainly this is between Parker Street and Tara street I mean one of our first free frontage it's pretty clear there used to be housing in. I'm just saying that I'm willing to bet that there's possibles like this all over the city that have you know were originally a market for housing or housing wants to admit that the green use if if you will popped up as an interim use. Now that doesn't make it any and the last spot in the word useful in that certainly that means that people have ties to it. But it's a it's sounds like a tricky situation. I meant is the building on this or is this. It's both the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the City Department of Neighborhood Development.

Yeah it's I remember I covered this area many years ago when I worked for the Mission Hill Gazette and I also played in the softball league I used to walk through those those lots just to get up there and nobody wanted to back then and now and then the garden is kind of been now someone else once and that's where I'd like Peter said these are all over Boston and you could you could argue about those old wives. Well I think one thing that is interesting is we have such a successful community gardens in Boston thanks to the Boston natural areas network a lot of them are where housing used to be including one right next door to where I live in JP you know triple decker burned down. Now it's a nonprofit ownership and as a successful community garden they are neighborhood assets and. It's a real competing interest might be interesting to see how the power of neighborhood organizations because if you know see where they fall in terms of either one of these projects Well moving on. Peter Katz is your big piece in the Phoenix about the upcoming AIDS walk. And we have a lot of walks in Boston as people know.

But this one by the editorial board of the Phoenix is making the point that it's really really important this year. We have yes I mean the heat exaction of Massachusetts is the oldest age group in New England. I think the second oldest in the United States after the group Larry Kramer founded in New York. And it's done wonderful work I mean since 1999 it's reduced infections by I think 54 percent. That's that saved taxpayers two billion dollars in health care costs. Now this is about more than dollars and cents this is about the quality of life in the boat life itself. But we all know these are tough economic times. And the federal government thanks to our friends the right wing Republicans have cots in the email to Peter. Yeah.

A right wing Republican knots you know slashed funding for AIDS related things by 25 percent. The state of Massachusetts has also knocked off about a million dollars a year for the last five years. So simply put exaction needs money to keep going. And one of the simplest easiest and best things people could do would be the participate the June 3rd walk which leaves from the Hatch Shell the esplanade and if you cannot walk contribute to someone who is. And if you kind of don't know anyone walking can always send money directly to Wade's action. One note by your characterization that means the Democrats cut the budget in the state of Massachusetts. Well. OK I'm just saying. Five million dollars. I think this is an issue of people just thinking this is over. But once again you know these cases keep popping up and people are kind of

surprised I think to see and it's well it has become in. If you're you know in a well-to-do country it's become a disease you can or a syndrome you can live with for a very long period of time but that's. Let's let's let's work to stamp it out strikes me as a much better idea. And yeah it's it is something we hear far more about as something you know now in Africa than than here but in one of the important things one of the things I failed to mention is prevention in education really important the best thing of all is yes it would be best to stamp it out but that's a research question. But what you can do is you could curtail and you can prevent people from from getting And as you've said that that saves money in the end yes. All right so moving on Seth this is important we're looking at earthquake survivors. And you're looking at it through the lens of your large immigrant community. And that's something that we forget how many people came over

and resettled here after the Haiti earthquake. Oh that's true I mean our communities Everett revere and Chelsea have huge Haitian populations and existing well before the earthquake. With big connections to Haiti you know going back and forth a lot a lot of relatives. But when the earthquake happened it was of course so devastating. People were just on the run and a lot of people came right to their relatives in Revere in Everett and you know what a transition you know no language immediately you know operated like you know within a week for some of them. And you know the hardest toll. I mean it was hard for all of them definitely observe that but especially for the kids you know who had plans and stuff who were going to you know schools in Haiti and they were just operated a moved to someone else's house in a place where they didn't understand the language and new culture all kinds of different people. And it was very hard for them. And plus the trauma of what they had been through and seen the death. And I interviewed some about a

year ago and they were still scared to go in buildings especially the school building. They were afraid the ceiling would fall on them they had a lot of anxiety about the things we wouldn't think about the heater when it came on. You know the big furred a small room you know in the winter was was just a real source of trauma for one young lady who spoke to me because it kind of shook the house. She'd wake up ready to run. Yeah but the silver lining is that now it's been about two years a little over two years since many of them arrived. They've assimilated this was the first group that's really kind of assimilated into the educational system in the culture keeping their own culture but also picking up the language in the American culture and they're headed off to college now they've excelled in a number of them a movie or have have gone on in two years to learn the language become honor students A.P. classes which is advanced placement college classes. I just spoke with a young lady yesterday who's going to Boston College on a Fulbright scholarship and she only arrived in March 2010 and she couldn't even carry on a conversation in English spoke better Spanish is

amazing. Yeah it is and they've they've really thrived and in trauma and I know that one young man came and he was living with distant relatives. I mean he didn't even know them but his father sent them there and you know his father and mother were never able to come. He's still in school and still living with distant relatives and you know they've adapted so well people forget about what they've been through but they're finding such success it is remarkable. I should note that the reason that your paper would pay attention to this is that their Boston area has the third highest largest group rather of Haitian and American nations at this point. That population in the United States. Oh yeah it's big and places huge Yeah ever it ever it is a very large population of patients for many years I mean there are kids who are some of the best players on the football team frankly and reveres the same way that whole area they've migrated to that kind of molding to as well.

With all the free time you have yourself you know there's a book and there are some I mean there's a great American story I think is really remarkable remarkable in that of a time when there is a lot of anti immigrant feeling by and lodge this is a group of refugees who have been welcomed to the accepted. Well I'm not tough it was we wanted to do a piece here on the show and you know there weren't people at the time that could speak English. So just to see how they've come so far in two years is amazing. Yeah. All right we've got much more we're looking at local news with John Peter Katz and Seth Daniel. Lot of news that went under the radar this week. I'm Catholic Crossley listing to eighty nine point seven WGBH Boston Public Radio. This program is made possible thanks to you. And Skinner auctioneers and appraisers presenting their

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morning at 11:00 here on the 9.7 WGBH. The scene is like Mia break their gifts down into monthly installments that automatically renew. That helps a nine point seven plan better and better clients means fewer fundraisers. And that's why males responsible for this hour of programming coming to you. Fundraiser Craig thinks may yet you're joining me by supporting eighty nine point seven as this is Dana online at WGBH dot org. Great question and it's a great question and that's a great question. It's a great question. Rick great question on FRESH AIR. You'll hear unexpected questions and unexpected answers this afternoon here on eighty nine point seven. WGBH. Welcome back to the Calla Crossley Show. If you're just tuning in we're talking local news. Joining me to talk between the headlines are John Russo editor of the Jamaica Plain Gazette and the Mission Hill

Gazette. Peter Katz is executive editor of The Boston Phoenix. And Seth Daniels senior reporter of the independent news group which includes the Revier Journal. So continuing the immigrant theme for just a second John. You guys have a lot of Dominican presidential candidates coming to J. Yeah that's just it sounds fanciful but I have to note that when the Sudanese election came up a lot of Sudanese candidates came over here. Yeah I think you can imagine Obama and Romney like going out and campaigning and to Americans in Germany or something. I'm a this is what's happening in JP that the two Dominican presidential candidates were out here apparently campaigning is or at least you know stopping by to say hello. And you know there's such a large Dominican immigrant population here and they still vote they voted in Jamaica Plain. One of the elementary schools we had a polling place and. Yeah I mean this is you know high voter participation high

voter interest. You know democracy means a lot. People in that country so to think that misspoke I meant the Haitian candidates came over here to connect with the Haitian population and we've just said was huge here in the Boston area 65 percent turnout in the Dominican for voters in this country what makes us look like what. You know. Yeah yeah yeah so yeah I mean it's it's inspiring maybe it should inspire all of us. Yeah. Yeah this is a huge you know again I mean I don't know where we rank but Boston is a huge center of Dominican immigration and it's a major voting block for that country. Here's a question John. So if you're American and you're here how do you how are you managing to vote in Germany you just must have a dual. Yeah yeah. OK. OK. All right very good. We actually had someone in Chelsea who ran for president of the Dominican Republic

if you like. You wrote about how you wrote the book it was a real estate agent Chelsea he ran he came in he announced his candidacy in the Chelsea record paper and he went around town then he went to the Dominican Republic and spent a lot of time there. I don't think he was all right that I know he wasn't but and I don't know where you think what I heard about that yeah. But I did hear and he really wholeheartedly. OK well that's pretty interesting. Speaking of politics of a different sort Peter can't just get a huge piece by David Bernstein in the Phoenix about the Net Roots Nation conference which is going to be in Providence right now our back door. Yeah. This year in the past this gathering has gathered a fair amount of attention but David Bernstein is asking the question of can it make a difference in November. Well it's a good question you know for people who want familiar with them you probably are you just might not recognize the name. Now grouped that groups is the group sort of a loose association of progressive bloggers that was

founded about six years ago and some of the blogs the other members are for example a daily costs Talking Points Memo TPM people who are active on Twitter would recognize those two as well as just being active on the Internet. And these are raw ideologically driven bloggers who write about policy and politics. Well what you have to measure up against is you know a handful of the Phoenix jokingly calls them you know geeky politicos against the billion dollars plus that the that Karl Rove and his conservative businessman friends have raised so it's you know it's guys men and women with keyboards against the fact cats with over a billion dollars to spend. Well it's a little bit more complicated as Bernstein is said because a lot of these people are way left of President Obama. Well there's

issues there. Well President Obama our year ago was when his name came up was actually booed. Yeah but years a lot of time and it's no longer raw obstruction. It's Obama versus Romney as we all know Romney won the clinched the nomination with his win in Texas. So while many of these people lot to the left of Obama they're right if they are to the left of obama way to the left of Mitt Romney. And I don't know I I I frankly think a little too much has been made of that. I would be more worried. No other about the net roots people but. College students young people I think the fact that those groups don't have fire in their belly and frankly what the poddy what Obama supporters are hoping that the net roots bloggers will be able to mobilize younger progressive or

ideologically driven voters. Should we take anything John from the fact that they're in Providence that you'd usually sort of been in a kind of lefty town in the Midwest. So this is unusual and I'm just you know it's nothing about why they're improv it I actually yeah that's a nice town you know that's what I'm glad they're actually meeting instead of just being behind a computer because I think that's already did they they haven't they've met very yeah. And it's I think the question is why aren't they meeting in Boston in the answer is because the Providence visit there and convention business bureau went out and did a heck of a job of selling them on on coming there. So it's an economic story as well. This is an economic and it's a real feather in Providence's cap that they were able to to get this group of opinion makers there. They usually draw some you know news attention so that means the city will get some attention along the way. That plus travel and leisure having just named the best burger in Providence to bring a lot of attention.

Why is that the yeah one twenty one in Harry's Bar and burger were two places they said. But anyway I'm digressing. What I found also interesting in this piece and maybe as I said to John out and you already knew about it there is the opposite ideological organization call right online which I had not heard about and heard about net roots before. But they apparently meet or at their meeting week later after net roots this is their coalescing all of the bloggers the writers and opinion makers online who are obviously right of net roots not aware of that. Yeah I had heard of that if you know the whole thing it's so one of the radar and it's like so much of what's going on with power in the Internet and you know the talk about grassroots I'm seeing it so much with people you know really scaring the mainstream politicians when they get together and and you know converge on the Internet and you know go after opposition and and people politicians

will change their mind. They are scared of the Internet. That's just power. Well we'll see. So back here off of cyberspace but terra firma really interesting story about one of the every state representative Steve Smith. That's right. Tell us this story. Well don't ask me what stat means I've tried to find that out for many years I don't know why his nickname is that but anyway. What we found out was a couple weeks ago the fire department was called for Monday thing a smoke detector or something and they went in and they found 12 illegal apartments in in a 12 unit building so there are twenty four apartments two all of them illegal. They later found out it was owned by the Everett state representative Steve stat Smith. And there were no permits they couldn't find them nor approvals for these apartments. No Parking nothing was up to muster and you know it was immediately you know got some traction people were upset the city was very upset rivière fire chief was very upset it put a lot of people in

harm's way if there were a fire and you know as a fire trap and you know that the one little funny anecdote was that he didn't have carbon monoxide detectors so he didn't know about that yet he was in the in the legislature when that bill was approved and probably voted no on this crazy. But the big thing is they fought and fought with him to try to make some Murden see repairs and keep saying oh I'll do it I'll do it and he's just not doing it so that's it's an ongoing battle. When and when you wouldn't expect from a lawmaker. What do you think his constituents will most don't want to seriously yeah. Yeah good point. You know the voters and we as voters have to take responsibility for the people we elect to these positions and I'm willing to bet that this guy gets re-elected. Oh probably yeah I mean he's popular he's popular and this is outside of his his representative area we had. Well that's interesting to do it outside your district I mean we had Wilkerson as their senator for a long time and she was forgiven for a lot of things because she was on the right side of a lot of things she was very popular but she you know she got away with a lot of things for a long time.

It is a remarkable what you can get re-elected you know for at the local level. But these are the fire chief said this is a lawmaker who is a law breaker. There every single requirement for for a safe apartment has been broken here. Pretty nice apartments This is not one thing where you could maybe say after God I don't want to do it or whatever. This is like everything basically you know I mean no power memory in your piece. Yeah no permits nothing. Up to muster. Yeah pretty much I mean the only good thing about it is they were somewhat clean. Nobody at Boggs City code it's not state law how can a state rep know anything about it. Yes I can. All right well if that's not enough in your same area we're going to just talk about this. Chelsea Street bridge opening. We've talked a little bit about these trains these proposed trains are coming down with the ethanol but yeah ok. Tell us about the Chelsea Street Bridge. Well it is related to these trains in a way. The bridge is a is a monumental achievement in engineering and science it's one of the first

vertical lift bridge and that means that the actual road you drive on up and down and there needed to be a new bridge there it's been the one that was there was terrible. So what they did is they replaced it with this. You know I think it was one hundred twenty five million dollar bridge and a 200 million dollar project when they start digging out all the mud under the bridge so that these bigger ships can get into the oil companies. If you just take a look from the bridge down. Who benefits it's only two large oil companies. The road was closed for nearly a year a very major road. Residents were were you know it was it was such a hassle believe it was a hassle for me you know so I can't imagine people living on either side had to deal with. And in the end you know it's a lot of applause people you know the elected officials think it's the greatest thing but you have to wonder do we really need two hundred million dollar bridge there. They could've chose a project that was much smaller and got the job done but it wouldn't been as good for the oil companies. So you got to wonder who who who is benefiting. And you know Michael Capuano who was

chief person a congressman in bringing this in an earmark in a previous Budget said you know this isn't a neighborhood project this isn't about the neighborhood. It won't help the neighborhood. It will help business. And that's what we're here to do to help business and I mean there's no jobs that will be created by I was going to say that it was there some jobs were people who worked on building the bridge. Well yeah you did have some construction jobs and permanent permanent normal going jobs I mean you know companies aren't hiring anyone new. You know there's. The ships I don't you know there's more big ships coming in. Maybe that helps but it also helps the oil companies bring in the FAA which the trains we're talking about they can bring in and take out more ethanol. And you know is that so good for the community while some people are saying well we just help them do it by spending our money on it. So there are some big questions there most people aren't questioning it but some are. And you've got to look at that and if you look down the river you can kind of kind of wonder yourself. So this is another situation where you have competing interests and and Congressman Michael Capuano

was just very upfront about it that I'm not addressing one set of interests I'm addressing another economic development Yeah exactly. Well just to play devil's advocate wouldn't we be better off building the bridge bigger so they could accommodate things in the future. Again I don't know enough about the situation of a firm opinion but. Is focused as we all are on jobs for the immediate moments this might be a good thing because it's part of an infrastructure that would last hopefully 20 30 years. I'm curious what public input was like it sounds like perhaps people kind of weighed in a little more than they got a chance to. Yeah I don't know that there was there wasn't a lot of questioning of it it was like yeah we need a new bridge we need in a bridge. It wasn't a lot of talk about what kind of bridge in the end I think it was the oil companies probably dictated that for good or bad. I know they were involved in a lot of the planning and stuff. Will it help us get cheaper gas cheaper heating oil. There was a press release from the Army Corps of

Engineers that said maybe so maybe we will. Well that remains to be seen. Well I think I want to its popularity is such that even if he is just right upfront with what he's doing surely he can get away with a lot of stuff you know get away with but you know he's been doing stuff for what I think believes in this project it was the right thing to do. Definitely. All right. None of you have written about this yet you I'm sure you will be next week. But before we close out I just want to get your take on the upcoming maybe a little bit contentious Massachusetts Democratic convention. I'll be interested to see what the Native American vote is. I have a hard time listen I'm all for everyone running. We'll see what the see what the people at the convention do. I hope Elizabeth Warren is the only person on the ballot because I'd like to see a nice clean shot a nice one on one race. In focus the energy

between Warren Brown. However if she's not that's hardly the end of the earth it might even help tune up the campaign make it so the campaign could use some shadow boxing I think. But I think where I'm not sure it's going to make much difference one way or the other. Well usually these things are sometimes these things are rubber stamps but this is a little energy around you know so I think you're right. But I can see I guess what I'm saying is I can see a plus in that this would be good for the Warren campaign to be tested. But if she's the only one on the ballot I don't think it's the end of the Earth it's not as if Warren who in by the way let me say I do not think she's handled herself well the last couple of weeks. But it's not as if Warren isn't clearly the best qualified person to take on Scott Brown. But she's got a tune up again before she does. Has Chelsea warmed up to Elizabeth Warren and know she's been spending a fair

amount of time. Yeah yes she is popular there I mean that's Chelsea's got a lot of advocates a lot of nonprofit organizations and you know she speaks to them and they respond. She's very popular there now. You know and some of the other places like East Boston and revere and certainly went through places like that you know people are kind of backing away just to see what might happen this weekend. You know what she says at the convention you know how she explains the things she hasn't explained is going to maybe dictate or whether that support back further off or comes closer. You know I thought it was interesting speaking of the convention night. A local official I saw just today I asked him he said he was going I said What do you think it will be said probably 14 hours of boredom and 30 minutes of something interesting. OK that's maybe what they can expect. OK lightning round yes or no is the Native American kerfuffle whether she speaks about it or not this weekend over. Totally up to her. Totally up to how she handles it. I say no

not over John Rich. OK. But you say no not over. OK. Diminished but not over. All right well there you have it. We'll have to be keeping an eye on what happens because I guess that 30 minutes will determine everything. We've been talking local news with John Roche editor of the Jamaica Plain Gazette. Peter Katz is executive editor of The Boston Phoenix. And Seth Daniels senior reporter of the independent news group which includes the revered Journal. Thanks to all of you. Thank goodness. Up next we talk to the latest pop culture headlines with our analyst Thomas Connelly and Rachel Reuben. You're listening to WGBH Boston Public Radio. This program is on WGBH. Thanks to you and UMass Memorial Health care and its

gynecologic surgeons providing minimally invasive and robotic techniques for cancer fibroids infertility and more. You can ask questions on line at UMass Memorial dot org slash GYN surgery and Greenberg Traurig an international law firm with offices in Boston and more than 30 other cities worldwide addressing the complex legal needs of businesses from startups to public companies global reach local resources law dot com. And the members of the WGBH sustainer program whose gifts of 5 10 or 20 dollars a month make up the most reliable income for the programs you love on eighty nine point seven. Learn more about sustaining membership at WGBH dot org. The world comes at you fast on air on line on your phone. There's an awful lot of information to process. And let's face it your time is valuable. I'm Melissa Block at all things considered we cut through the clutter and separate the facts from the fluff. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. On the clock. Every day.

This afternoon at 4:00 here on eighty nine point seven if you're looking for something that's cool and sweet and sprinkled with fun the WGBH Fun Fest is all that with a cherry on top. Saturday July 14th at WGBH in Brighton. It's a day Han packed with ice creamy goodness mix it up with PBS Kids characters swirl and some rides games music and more. It's enough to make you melt. Tickets will sell out and that's a sure bet. So don't waffle. Get the whole scoop at WGBH dot org slash funfest while you still comb. Sorry can ramble. He threw the first ball now at Fenway Park. First ball out ever ever. 100 years of legend and history at Fenway Park. Friday's on WGBH is MORNING EDITION. It's Brad time. A view of the week's pop culture happenings. It's an examination of the salacious the ridiculous and everything in between.

But this being public radio we'll conduct our review with the help of some highbrow analysts point head of pop culture Rachel Ruben and Thomas Connelly. Rachel Reuben is the chair of the department of American studies at UMass Boston and Thomas Connelly is a professor of English at Suffolk University. Welcome back you to. This week. Bob Dylan visited the White House on Tuesday to receive the Medal of Freedom. Gosh he released his first album a 1962. By all accounts President Obama was very much infatuated. Anyway here's a little bit of Bob Dylan's absolutely sweet memory. Just. To. See. The. Truth. Down.

Well Rachel are you surprised that President Obama was just so thrilled to have Bob Dylan I'm not surprised that he was thrilled and I'm surprised if Gillett was thrilled absolutely. I mean that is the thing I want to watch and see how he resists this the way he has always for better and for worse resisted any box anybody has tried to put him in. You know he he says I won't be this way didn't he hated being called the spokes person of his generation he he was Christian he was Jewish he's been left wing he's been right wing you know he he really doesn't like to sort of be fixed like that. So I want to see how he'll respond to the debate in the days to come if people really try to sort of pin something on him because of this he seems to be enjoying it even though I mean he was as usual Bob Dylan he said There

he is. Yeah he really is the antithesis of anything established so it would seem. But let's face it he's been around so long he can't help it no matter what he does. By this point he's an institution and he's going to have the president put the medal around his neck. It's interesting I was thinking about Pete Seeger who got one of these a few years ago and of course always this the legendary confrontation they had when you know Bob Dylan went electric that's been debunked yet Rollie. But for Dylan still at this point in his career to act as though he's this you know all true rebel and he's not going to reach out he's not going to allow normal fans to acknowledge to me he's not going to have any part of sort of normal public life. Is shows that he that is the ultimate integrity that he's got that he just he will not give in but he will accept the award. You know maybe it isn't

Elton. Well he was there with Madeleine Albright who got one and also the former University of Tennessee women's basketball head coach Pat Summitt who is just beloved and John Glenn former astronaut so you know that's pretty heady company to be and I I think I would. Well of course I'm not Bob Dylan but I think. How do I have it if I got to give an award to bob dylan i would geek out much more than Obama did i just want to say that. OK well he pretty much think they were they were teasing him about it. Lifetime is developing a new series and it's not kind of like in their wheel house. This is one developed on the character Clarice who many people may remember Larry Starling who was a character in The Silence Of The Lambs. This is what I earn. Jodie Foster an Academy Award. Here's a clip from classic Hannibal Lector. Her opponent in Silence of the Lambs and in this scene he's Exuma Claire Reece is passed away to stunning you think you can just check me out.

I thought that your knowledge. Yes you know what you're going to meet with and you're looking at a screen. Getting good nutrition is good news for me. In one generation. I have to say that I thought the Jodie Foster inhabited this character. So I'm trying to figure out what how would they proceed to develop her in the series. Well also and Julianne Moore played her in the the second one I was interested when I first saw the headline I showed a lot of people assumed it's going to be yet another retread of Hannibal Lector. But I think that the Claire Reese character has been sort of given short shrift in our obsession with the Hannibal character. And there is a lot going on with her. I mean that the silence of the Lambs after all was really about her childhood experiences and her childhood trauma. So I

think there is something for the writers to do with her also. The controversial nature of the FBI in the late 20th century even today and her the sexism that is sort of fronted in the first film I think that there are a lot of there's a lot of possibility for a character to go at loggerheads with their superiors and also with her wrestle with her own demons. Good point Rachel. Yeah I mean the part you know what with the first of all it's one of the most delightful thing I've ever seen about Silence Of The Lambs is a is an academic who referred to the movie as horror movie for grad students which is sort of it is but I'm you know the police the Chloe's character is very interesting in that clip very plain that I think that the main story there is about class and he has seen to you know he's seen he to her background like where she's going to be vulnerable and is sort of mocking her right for being one generation away from poor white trash which is still you know sometimes an allowable insult and I would be very interested to

see how how they excavate that. I hope that they maintain that an excavator because I type what they do is just eliminate that knowledge are limited to class you know that you are a scary you get out that way that would make it an answer. Excellent point. Well speaking of class at one point Justin Bieber he of worldwide fame now was just a little middle class boy living in the Midwest and now he's huge so it made it all the more interesting to hear and he's got a very sweet reputation that he had a big fight with the paparazzi not seeming to follow follow in his in his reputation but there was anyway for people who are not aware of Justin Bieber because he's 18 now maybe just turned 18. Here is a clip from Die in your arms this is Justin Bieber. What is it. Me

to me. So there's Justin Bieber I think of him he's not he's moving away from bubblegum pop but still he's very sweet so you never think of him. He's denied this by the way saying he did not you know strike any proper Azzi but others. The original story was that he was walking with Selena Gomez's girlfriend and they sort of came at him in a way that he didn't think was safe for her. Well this is really going on for decades Frank Sinatra in the 40s you know was a it was one of the first things that had to be hushed up about him was that he you know really tore a photographer apart we and we you know Jacqueline Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is in constant fights with Ron Galella who made a career out of it. What's interesting about this is you know Justin Bieber is 18 years old but is such a sweet as you were saying the sweet faced boy it's high to imagine him growl and clocking a photographer but I think it sums up how angry celebrities are and by extension even his

fans are that he can't walk down the street. We're really getting to a point where stories like this are almost every other day or almost every day where celebrities are acting out against us a couple weeks ago. We're talking about Halle Berry who is taking this to the White House. Yeah I think this is we've entered a new. Chapter in paparazzi versus the stars and I think it's going to get a lot uglier. But don't you think also because of what happened with Diana Princess Diana with that paparazzi going beyond invading personal space leading to her death. And I think everybody agrees with that that that now stars have to be concerned when people are encroaching on their personal space. Rachel that's definitely there and the you know the new tradition of shooting what they what do they call up skirt you know young women celebrities. But I think there is possibly another story here altogether and that is that he punched out a photographer to punch out a photographer. In other words it particularly since he was protecting me most most of all when Sean Penn punched a photographer because the photographer supposedly got too

close to Madonna when they were married. But Justin Bieber we've been saying your He's sweet he's sweet he's sweet he's young. We know that that kind of bubble gum pop star has to find a way to stop being that he's 18 now he can't be now we saw Britney Spears for example go from innocence to so. Of hyper sexed on purpose as a way for her to try to transfer and Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus if you like the new adult way of being that isn't so sexually safe and they will be the thing that makes me really sad about this isn't so much about personal space but how that's how you prove you're a man and not a boy through an act of violence and an act of sort of you know defense of the woman you know and I I hope that he can find another way to move into an adult role that isn't new that isn't like that. It's also interesting that he cut his hair. Yeah. And now I'm sort of anti Sampson without the longer hair got shorter hair because now he's got to assert himself in the sort of most pathetic macho way. And you know I tell you Tom he did that and the fans were like not don't cut the hair don't get it and

he said no I'm you know I've moved away from this area. Yeah you got to go with me. The poor guy is recovering from a concussion. Exactly. I also like the hair. Well here's somebody who's not really worried about his reputation as John Waters. He's got a new book coming out possibly chronicling his hitchhiking journey. The book might be called carsick. People may know John Waters because he's done some of the edgy films you would say. Rachel what do you think about this he said it allowed him to get off the beaten track and really see the country. I think it's wonderful I mean a couple of things that I can't wait to see the book or whatever else he does with it. And there have been you know really important hitchhiking scenes in a lot of his movies so it seems to be something that he's very interested in including anon Mondo trash show where there is a naked hitchhiking scene you know could very well be more John Waters. In fact the story of Matt is he didn't have a permit to film nudity.

Cops came they took off in the car. The people in the car he got caught but not the people in the car which included divine and water is always saying what does it say that the police couldn't find a 300 pound drag queen a naked man in a red convertible failed to do that. Oh what's lovely about him working on this hitchhiking book is he has been very clear and outspoken about his own privilege that allows him to do this you know. He has the time he has the flexibility of schedule he's a man's you know so it makes it relatively safe for him. So I just think that as always clear sighted and wonderful and I want to see what the book is. What do you think about it. It's interesting what he said was the inspiration for this was his life had become so scheduled that he felt he didn't have any life anymore and he just wanted to you know clear his schedule and clear his head and just you know get across the country. It's also interesting just thinking in the Ever since the automobiles were on the idea of what hitchhiking as many think of the famous scene in it happened one night with clotted called Baron Clark Gable

hitching and what it means to be able to hitchhike and you know her thinking about what Richard just said about Waters being a man unable to do this but it's clouded cold they are flaunting her legs it gets on the ride and humiliates Clark Gable who you know claims to be this you know macho expert about hitchhiking hitchhiking you know being on the road is often given too much seriousness. The thing I like about Waters is take on this is it was fun it was an in for a fun adventure a way to meet people and experience America in a completely non-judge mental way and it seems as though he had got a lot of insights about it and met some interesting musicians lots of other people and didn't get arrested. We should point out that he is giving credit to a 20 year old Maryland councilman who drove him through several legs of the trip and he as a result in exchange John Waters gave him a key to his San Francisco apartment or house and a personal tour of the city which is pretty interesting. So not only is he traveling and hitchhiking in this way and getting away from his schedule and doing something he said was in

like. But he's also experiencing it through the eyes of the next generation of one can think about it and there's an elder. He's a wise elder from the young people. He loves things I think of him. That was a oh I should also note there's a gentleman on Martha's Vineyard who wrote a little book about hitchhiking around Martha's Vineyard and the adventures that he had meeting so many interesting people who just picked him up including Larry David. And in fact the name of the book is hitchhiking with Larry David. So anyway so that's Hitchhiking is back I guess I'm moving on. Lee Daniels who if you're thinking I've heard that name before he's a director and best known at this point for the film Precious which starred Mo'Nique and a young woman Gabrielle Sidibe a who's gone on to bigger and better things. He just premiered his new movie called The Paper Boy which is based on in 1905 a novel at Con or is it can never sure. But anyway here is a clip from Lee Daniels

new film The paper born on the other side will talk about what he has to say about it. Should you. Be. Reborn as less than a minute. Or just by looking. Getting rid of that human connection we know it's going to last me here. I'm sitting. And sweating like a pregnant nun back here. All right well the woman with the very good Southern accent I can say that as a Southerner is Nicole Kidman believe it or not. The guy with the most of the dialogue is David Filo. He's African and I'm messing up his last name but anyways someone known it also the movie also starts Matthew McConaughey and it's about a murder in a

small town in Florida. And what Daniels decided to do was to expand the role of some of the minor black characters and cast some of the other white characters in in a different way than they might have been portrayed in the book and he talked about the reason that he wanted to do that and said that it was important to hear some stories that might have seemed to be minor in the book but he went expand them on the screen getting a lot of attention for apparently that the film was very well received at the Film Festival. This is very interesting he's taken what was pretty much a conventional murder mystery novel and added many more layers of interest not just because of contemporary problems in Florida but. Adding the change in the race of some of the characters and adding more African-American characters makes this a very challenging film and consistent with the rest of his work I mean it's not some people have accused him of you know this being a stand or it's a play to get more work for African-American actors there's much more going on here with you know and it's related to what he's done in his other films to really

get people thinking about problems in our society and also you know tell a great story. Where do you think going to have to wait and see. I mean I've read some pretty intense criticism of you. You know if you look at the sort of Rotten Tomatoes types indices it's not it's not doing that well. But that you know it'll be I wish she had more of a sense of humor I will say that I feel like he could sort of do he could work some of the John Waters territory that say that said the race switching can work really well in casting I'm thinking of the role Morgan Freeman played in The Shawshank Redemption. He's in Stephen King's source novel that character was white in the movie. You know somebody asks Morgan Freeman's character why do they call you Red. And he says I don't know I guess it must because I'm Irish which is what exactly what was in the book. And for having Morgan Freeman say that it's really deep because you know he probably is Irish you know. I mean that's just sort of the way the calculator racial calculus works in the United States. So you know I'm hoping that that Lee Daniels found some stuff

you know to say about it too. All right. Well that wraps up another edition of ragtime review of this week's pop culture news with Professor Rachel Reuben and Professor Thomas Connelly thank you both so much. You can keep on top of the Calla Crossley shell at WGBH dot org slash Calla Crossley follow us on Twitter or become a fan of the Calla Crossley Show on Facebook. Today's program was engineered by Alan Mathis produced by Chelsea Merz will Rose live and Avenue Zico. We are a production of WGBH Boston Public Radio.