Boston Public Radio

Landry supports SNL's decision to fire new cast member Shane Gillis due to the comedian's history of racist remarks.

Wealthy people are swapping glitz and glamor for minimalism, says Michael Norton.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley called for an impeachment inquiry, but Senate Democrats aren't thrilled about it.

The Patriots player has been accused of sexual misconduct by a second woman.

In the wake of two corruption scandals in Boston’s City Hall, City Council President Andrea Campbell wants the city to create an office for an independent inspector general.

When mass shooters fit the definition of terrorism, why aren't they charged with it?

With news that pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has developed a COVID-19 vaccine that may be nearly 90% effective and is easy to transport, medical ethicist Arthur Caplan told Boston Public Radio on Tuesday things are looking good for widespread vaccine distribution. “We now have at least three, I’m expecting more to come through the pipeline in the coming months,” he said. “We can call this the Goldilocks phenomenon. The AstraZeneca one has the promise of being able to get to places the other ones won’t, including poor parts of the world as well as rural America.” The AstraZeneca news comes on the immediate heels of Pfizer and Moderna announcing their vaccines both show initial efficacy rates above 90% in late-stage trials, but must be stored in very cold temperatures. They use mRNA technology, which uses genetic material instead of the traditional deactivated virus to prompt an immune response. The AstraZeneca vaccine uses the more traditional method. Additionally, Caplan said the AstraZeneca vaccine measures transmission rates after receiving the vaccine, where the other two do not. “The first two vaccines only measured did you get sick, and they actually only measured did you get mild or moderately sick, figuring if that didn’t happen you weren’t going to get seriously ill,” said Caplan. “For the AstraZeneca one they measured did you infect other people as one of the study points.” The AstraZeneca results are also only initial analysis of late-stage clinical trials.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened Monday's show by opening lines, to talk with listeners about how you’re navigating your pandemic Thanksgiving. NBC Sports Boston anchor and reporter Trenni Kusnierek discussed the passing of former Celtics player, coach, and play-by-play announcer Tommy Heinsohn, who died this month. She also discussed the spread of COVID-19 in collegiate football, and a recent piece by Kurt Streeter in the New York Times about running while Black. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed her latest writing on blowback to a string of worker layoffs at the Boston Marriott, whose let-off workers aren’t being paid full severance. She also discussed some anti-racist efforts of Boston businesses, and how her kids are handling the boredom of pandemic life. Lauren Kennedy talked about broad inefficiencies with America's childcare system, and what her non-profit Neighborhood Villages is doing to support working mothers and families through the pandemic. Kennedy is the co-founder of Neighborhood Villages, which has created the Boston Children's Relief Initiative Program. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, host of GBH’s All Rev’d Up podcast, talked about work being done in Dedham to honor the overlooked legacy of Black Civil War veteran (and church founder) William Benjamin Gould. They also talked about the right-wing campaign to smear Democratic Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock. We returned to callers to hear about your experiences trying to juggle childcare with everything else going on during the pandemic. Naturalist Sy Montgomery recounted the story of a Northern saw-whet owl who got trapped in the Rockefeller Christmas tree, and a Florida man who went viral after rescuing his puppy from an alligator. She also offered up details about her newly-released book: an illustrated children’s version of her memoir “How to Be a Good Creature.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed her expectations President-elect Biden’s handling of LGBT issues, and reflected on the widespread child sex abuse scandal hanging over the Boy Scouts of America. We opened lines to talk with listeners about your experiences with the Boy Scouts of America, and what you make of the organization’s uncertain future in light of widespread child abuse allegations. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney weighed in on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s erratic press conferences, the approval of two prospective coronavirus vaccines, and read a Thanksgiving-themed list of fixations and fulminations. Under the Radar and Basic Black host Callie Crossley discussed a petition from Harvard University affiliates to prevent Trump administration officials from teaching or speaking on campus. She also touched on the ending of O Magazine, former President Obama’s new memoir, and ongoing efforts by President Trump to delay the certification of votes for Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Mass. A.G. Maura Healey called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the A.G.,” where she discussed whether she’d accept a position in a Joe Biden administration, offered her thoughts on President Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss, and spoke on her office's newly-released report exploring racial inequities in health care. She also took time to respond to questions and comments from listeners.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd, moderator of “Meet the Press” on NBC, talked about the latest news regarding President Trump’s attempts to negate his election loss, and spoke on the thousands of frustrated Fox News viewers migrating to stations like OAN and Newsmax. Next, we opened lines to talk with listeners about your plans for this COVID-era Thanksgiving. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral gave a debrief on the various efforts by GOP leaders to overturn the results of the November election, from figures like President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and others. Artistic director Michael Bobbitt discussed the anti-racist efforts of his New Repertory Theater, and what he feels needs to happen in order to better diversify American theater spaces. He also talked about the latest project from New Rep: a virtual play series called “Showstopper." Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the CDC’s recent recommendation that Americans avoid traveling for the holidays, upsides to Thanksgiving takeout, and why he’s skeptical about the safety of outdoor igloos at restaurants. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed the return of Charlie Brown holiday specials to cable, why Apple’s new CPU chip is such a big deal, and how smartphone tracking systems might curb future efforts at voter suppression. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Nia Grace returned to talk about how her restaurant, Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen, and others Mass. restaurants are faring as temperatures dip and COVID numbers rise. She also talked about the takeout options her restaurant is serving up this Thanksgiving. Grace is the Owner and Operator of Darryl’s Corner Bar and Kitchen in the South End, and one of the founders of the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition.

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about how to celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic. Should typical Thanksgiving celebrations be ‘canceled’ this year? Kummer says yes. “It is my prescription, and it is the CDC’s prescription as of this morning,” he said. “The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving, says the CDC, is to celebrate at home with the people you live with.” Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.