George Takei, actor, activist and writer, discusses his debut picture book, My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024). My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024) EVENT: George Takei and BD Wong will be in conversation at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th St. in Manhattan) TONIGHT (April 16, 2024) at 8 p.m. Details and ticketing information here.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) talks about her work in Washington, including what may happen next after Iran's strike on Israel, her bill for child care for police officers and more.

The Federal Education Department rolled out a new FAFSA form that was supposed to make things easier for students, but instead it has been plagued with problems. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, talks about how the "bungled" rollout of the form has derailed some students' college plans.   

Toni Lyn Morelli, research ecologist at the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, explains how milder winters in the Northeast are contributing to an explosion of deer populations, which can cause car accidents and increase Lyme disease.

Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian, author of many books, including Team of Rivals and her latest, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s (Simon & Schuster, 2024), writes about the life and times she shared with her late husband, Dick Goodwin, a speechwriter and advisor to JFK, RFK and LBJ.

Catherine Christian, former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, previews jury selection and the trial of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan.

Zohran K. Mamdani, New York State assemblymember (D, D-36, Queens), comments on the sticking points preventing New York State from passing its annual budget as well as his initiative to expand the fare-free bus proposal in light of congestion pricing.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. The Art of Listening on Israel and Gaza (First) | Changes to the Census Include People of Middle Eastern and North African Descent (Starts at 37:30) | Gen Z Taking Up Trades (Starts at 58:15) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

John Cassidy, New Yorker staff writer and columnist on politics and economics, talks about the better-than-expected jobs report, the worse-than-expected inflation report and how both parties are responding to the perception and reality of the U.S. economy.

Beyonce’s latest album, “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart this week, making her the first Black woman to ever top that chart. Alice Randall, novelist and songwriter, most recently author of My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music's Black Past, Present, and Future (Atria/Black Privilege Publishing, 2024), discusses the legacy of Black country music and traces its roots to today's historic achievement.

The New York State budget was due on April 1st and lawmakers have still not come to an agreement. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what is reportedly in the budget, the remaining sticking points and whether late budgets are now the norm in Albany.

The Vatican released a new document that detailed what it called 'grave violations' of human dignity, including the struggles of migrants, poverty and war but also gender theory, sex change and surrogacy. Francis DeBernardo, executive director, New Ways Ministry, reacts on behalf of LGBTQ Catholics, and discusses his critique of the church's teachings on issues like this.

Luke Broadwater, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the latest congressional news, including the pressure on Speaker Johnson from the right over FISA, spending, foreign aid, and more.

Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about the change in who's getting hired to baby-sit, no longer a mainstay of teenage girls.

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and editor, and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, where they talked about the controversy over the so-called "county line" on ballots, school budget cuts for 140 districts and more.

Te-Ping Chen, Wall Street Journal work and work culture reporter, talks about her reporting on more young people are going off the college track in favor of the plumbing and electrical trades.

The White House says that President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter at the Washington Post, shares her reporting and unpacks the details.

Judith Sloan, actor, writer, educator, and radio producer, and Najla Said, actor, writer, and activist, talk about their project called "Imperfect Allies," where they will host live events with a performance, and dialogue among audience members with different perspectives on the violence in Israel and Gaza. →Information on upcoming events can be found here: https://earsay.org/

Emily Gould, novelist and writer for New York Magazine, talks about the secret smoking habits of moms in New York City, plus, listeners expose their own smoking habits -- be it classic cigarettes, vaping, or even marijuana in the age of legalization -- why they hide it from their partners and children, and what lengths they go to to keep their smoking secret.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including how the NYPD should engage with the homeless on the subway, mayoral control of schools and much more.

Last Friday's earthquake in New Jersey was likely a natural phenomenon, but earthquakes can be caused by human interventions -- like fracking. For our climate story of the week, Umair Irfan, staff writer at Vox writing about climate change and energy policy, breaks down how fracking and other natural resource extractions have increased the likelihood of earthquakes in the United States.

Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, talks about the 2024 election and abortion in light of recent developments, including Donald Trump's announcement it should be up to the states and the court's decision to put abortion rights on the ballot in Florida.

Listeners talk about their experiences of the total solar eclipse.

Harry Siegel, editor at The City, FAQ NYC podcast co-host, and Daily News columnist, responds to top police brass calling him names after he published critical columns, and talks about the substance of his critiques of the NYPD.

Molly Webster, senior correspondent for Radiolab, previews the eclipse and offers a thought on why the moon deserves credit in this cosmic event.