By Luis Clemens

"Sesame Street" provided the soundtrack of my childhood. I watched the show every day. As a latchkey kid, I kept myself company by singing aloud in front of the television set.

And I still can't help smiling when I think of "The Beetles" singing "Letter B":

The other day I found myself singing "C is for Cookie" aloud with my daughter. She laughed very hard.

But, my all-time "Sesame Street" favorite is "Manamana." Think twice before you hit play because the song is so infectious it'll be resonating in your head for the next week.

"Sesame Street" has also excelled at getting popular musicians to do kiddie covers of their own songs.

Here's Leslie Feist doing a charming version of her song "1234":

Norah Jones performed an instructive cover of "Don't Know Why" that somehow preserves the saudade of the original.

Classical music has also been a constant presence; much of it as part of the "Pretty Great Performances" series. Below are James Galway and Maria:

The weirdest example of classical music on Sesame Street is probably the orange in the video below singing an aria from Bizet's "Carmen."

Yo-Yo Ma is a repeat guest on the show.

And then there are the cases where musicians performed covers of Sesame Street songs, such as Ray Charles performing "Being Green"

Happy 40th Birthday, "Sesame Street."

Enjoy and share your favorites.

Thanks,
Luis

A poster for the film This Is It, which shows Michael Jackson in his last days. (Sony Pictures)

Lee Hill, here ...

Michael Jackson is back. This is it.

Well, sort of.

Obviously, he hasn't actually returned from his final resting place (although that would make for an interesting movie). This Is It is the title of the newly-released film that chronicles the "King of Pop" during a three-month period leading up to his sudden death on June 25 at age 50.

The film boasts rare, behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson as he rehearsed for his world comeback tour that was also titled, strangely enough, This Is It. The film's footage was originally compiled during the dress rehearsals for the tour. The concert series, which would have been underway now, was meant to be Jackson's final comeback.

Now, the tour footage serves only as a memorial to the moon-walking, crotch-grabbing legend. And, of course, it will also help to answer those questions about whether Michael Jackson still "had it" -- as in dance moves -- at age 50.

What do YOU make of all the hoopla surrounding this release?

Is it a fitting tribute? Or, is all of this a bit over-the-top for the dearly departed?

Tune in tomorrow. Tell Me More discusses This Is It.

In the meantime, here's the promotional trailer:

Tell us what you think.

Host Michel Martin (center) poses with NBA star LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (right) and Dru Joyce II, James' former high school basketball coach. (Monika Evstatieva / NPR)

Host Michel Martin (center) poses Romeo Travis (from left to right), Willie McGee and Dru Joyce -- all former high school teammates of LeBron James. (Monika Evstatieva / NPR)

Lee Hill, here ...

Today, we aired the first of a three-part conversation about the film More Than A Game. The documentary takes a rare glimpse into the pre-NBA life of basketball superstar LeBron James. It focuses on the player's early hardship and determination, and the high school coach and teammates who rallied around him to help see him through. Together, they created a small fellowship of athletes, if you will, if not a band of brothers.

We began the series today with film director Kristopher Belman. You'll have to listen to the full conversation for the juice. But imagine beginning to follow someone -- a promising youngster, at best -- as part of a short film school project, only later to learn see that person rise to become an international star and one of the most celebrated basketball players alive. You get the point.

Tomorrow, join us for a conversation with the man himself, LeBron James, his former high school coach Dru Joyce and his high school brethren.

Well, I finally got to see a movie this weekend -- Julie & Julia, based on the life of the renowned late chef and public television host Julia Child.

I was very excited about this. I really wanted to see it, but most of my girlfriends had already seen it and I did not know how I was going to persuade my husband to go.

Well, I did figure out how to persuade him (... but it's not that kind of blog).

Anyway, why did I want to see it? Only because I adored Julia Child.

I did one of the last broadcast interviews with her before she died. The piece was for ABC's "Nightline" (and the producer was none other than Madhulika Sikka, who is now executive producer of NPR's "Morning Edition" (hey girl!). The occasion or, as we say, "news peg" was a massive and quite candid biography of her that was newly published. And her famous Cambridge, Mass., kitchen, which her husband Paul (a key player in her story) helped design, had been dismantled and reconstructed for display at the Smithsonian Institution.

Anyway (back to the movie), you don't need to know the plot of the film to know there's a moment when Julia is quoted as saying something rather unkind.

I was so surprised. Not because I don't think she was capable of unkindness -- we all are, especially the unintentional variety. But there is nothing that says that people you happen to like, or who happen to be lovely to you, can't be petty and ridiculous to someone else.

But some people wonder why I like her so much, even though French cuisine (Child's specialty) is not my favorite, at all.

It's because Child was a classic misfit who made it work -- tall and tough in an era that valued petite and "ladylike, " a working woman, and she was someone who made delicious lemonade out of the lemon of her childlessness.

One of the things I loved about her is that she never hid the fact that she had hoped to have children. She married "late" and this was before the era of assisted reproductive technology. It never happened for her and it was a source of grief throughout her life, which she was honest about.

And she respected women.

Julia Child wasn't one of those cookbook or homemaking authors who you secretly believe wants you to fail, just so she can tell herself she's better than you (not that I'm, you know, thinking of anyone in particular).

I loved her television show. I loved that she was not a snob. I loved that she was all about integrity -- she wouldn't push products just because there was some corporate tie-in. She was also up on the news. (I remember her asking me about Notre Dame football. At the time, I had just interviewed the coach.)

And when we visited Child in Santa Barbara, we asked her where we should go eat. She told us to go get an In and Out Burger.

I miss her.

Well, I finally got to see a movie this weekend -- Julie & Julia, based on the life of the renowned late chef and public television host Julia Child.

I was very excited about this. I really wanted to see it, but most of my girlfriends had already seen it and I did not know how I was going to persuade my husband to go.

Well, I did figure out how to persuade him (... but it's not that kind of blog).

Anyway, why did I want to see it? Only because I adored Julia Child.

I did one of the last broadcast interviews with her before she died. The piece was for ABC's "Nightline" (and the producer was none other than Madhulika Sikka, who is now executive producer of NPR's "Morning Edition" (hey girl!). The occasion or, as we say, "news peg" was a massive and quite candid biography of her that was newly published. And her famous Cambridge, Mass., kitchen, which her husband Paul (a key player in her story) helped design, had been dismantled and reconstructed for display at the Smithsonian Institution.

Anyway (back to the movie), you don't need to know the plot of the film to know there's a moment when Julia is quoted as saying something rather unkind.

I was so surprised. Not because I don't think she was capable of unkindness -- we all are, especially the unintentional variety. But there is nothing that says that people you happen to like, or who happen to be lovely to you, can't be petty and ridiculous to someone else.

But some people wonder why I like her so much, even though French cuisine (Child's specialty) is not my favorite, at all.

It's because Child was a classic misfit who made it work -- tall and tough in an era that valued petite and "ladylike, " a working woman, and she was someone who made delicious lemonade out of the lemon of her childlessness.

One of the things I loved about her is that she never hid the fact that she had hoped to have children. She married "late" and this was before the era of assisted reproductive technology. It never happened for her and it was a source of grief throughout her life, which she was honest about.

And she respected women.

Julia Child wasn't one of those cookbook or homemaking authors who you secretly believe wants you to fail, just so she can tell herself she's better than you (not that I'm, you know, thinking of anyone in particular).

I loved her television show. I loved that she was not a snob. I loved that she was all about integrity -- she wouldn't push products just because there was some corporate tie-in. She was also up on the news. (I remember her asking me about Notre Dame football. At the time, I had just interviewed the coach.)

And when we visited Child in Santa Barbara, we asked her where we should go eat. She told us to go get an In and Out Burger.

I miss her.

A scene from the 'Eclipsed' by playwright Danai Gurira. (Stan Barouh / Woolly Mammoth)

Jennifer Ludden, here ... Sitting in for Michel.

People always want to know what it's like to cover (fill in the blank here, usually some third world hell hole, or a war, or just some patriarchal region of the world) as a WOMAN. I never have an answer to that. I'm Western, I'm white, and I'm a journalist.

As far as I can tell, I don't really register as a WOMAN to many people in these places.

In Kuwait, there are special clubs where men -- and only men -- gather to play card games and smoke a hubbly bubbly. But I could march right in, recorder in hand, and sit alongside the men to interview them. In Africa, I would fly to some capitol, check into the best (a relative term!) hotel in town, and spend my 10-day visa driving around with a hired car and driver -- always a man. I interviewed plenty of women. But no matter how kind I was, or how much I delved into the details of their daily lives, the vast gulf between our situations was plain as day. And while I made a point of interviewing women, framing many stories around their concerns, there were some -- especially in war zones -- who simply remained invisible.

These are the women Danai Gurira brings to stage in her new play, "Eclipsed."

The play is set in a rebel base deep in Liberia's jungle, in the house shared by three wives of a rebel commander.

They are sex slaves.

A woman is called into the rebel hut at-will. On her return, she dips a washcloth into a basin and cleans her private parts with all the mundane ritual of someone washing her hands. A fourth wife, desperate to escape and gain some sense of control, has taken up a gun and joined the rebel forces.

Gurira is an American, raised in Zimbabwe, and the power of her play is to bridge that gulf between Africans and Westerners.

"The only thing that differs from us is geography," she told us.

And by the end of her play, you really will understand the motivations, fears, and small joys of a rebel sex-slave in a faraway jungle.

Lee Hill, here ...

Today, we were delighted to bring folks the music of Sam & Ruby. They stopped by NPR studios for a live performance chat. And if after listening to today's interview, you're looking to get your grove on, here's your chance ...

Meet Sam & Ruby:

Enjoy!

Mattel's newest line, So-In-Style, features six black Barbie dolls that highlight the importance of mentorship, with three older sisters and three younger sisters. The doll featured above is Grace with her little sister Courtney. Mattel, Inc.

 

One of our fabulous producers, Jennifer Longmire, wrote yesterday about our interview with Fantasia, which she booked. Jennifer started by saying she was not a fan of the "American Idol" program, where Fantasia first made her mark. But Jennifer wrote about how she came to appreciate Fantasia because of the singer's remarkable personal story ...

I'll start today by saying I am not, and was not, a Barbie girl. I had only one that I remember and it was not a "real" Barbie. I think it was a Skipper, Barbie's little sister. And it was platinum blond, which I am not.

It was not part of my life for long.

So I am not sure if that's why we were not into Barbie, because there were not any that looked like my sister and me. Or maybe we just weren't doll girls. I am not sure. I know I have one stuffed Koala Bear from my childhood. How it survived I don't know.

Anyway, that's just a long way of saying I am new to Barbie madness. But we became interested a) because the 28th annual Barbie Convention met in Washington, D.C., last week, and I just had to check it out (it is organized by Barbie fans for Barbie fans...and b) because Barbie is introducing a new line of dolls, specifically to better represent African American girls (as it was explained to me, Mattel has made African American dolls for quite some time ... since the "Julia" doll in the 1960's and there have been black Barbies, but no dolls made to look ethnic other than in skin color). And now a young designer named Stacey McBride-Irby persuaded Mattel to produce her concept line of dolls called So In Style, which are attempting to bring a more authentic ethnic representation to Barbie, with the additional idea of a younger sister who takes along and hopefully learns from the big girl Barbie.

Anyway, I confess I came to the story without that much interest. And found myself surprisingly moved by how much thought and passion went into those dolls, how much people care about them, and by Stacey's story, too. She is a young, aspiring fashion designer who talked her way into a job at Mattel just out of community college and has now designed her very own line of dolls.

You never know where the stories are, do you?

Jennifer Longmire, here ...

Full disclosure: I am not an American Idol fan.

I don't care for Simon Cowell. I wish Paula Abdul would go back to her "Straight Up" days. And Randy? Well, okay ...

So when Fantasia won Season Three of the reality television singing competition, I politely looked at the coverage of the finale and thought, wow, that's great for her, and went on about my business.

Later, when Fantasia began promoting her life story via the novel, Life is Not a Fairy Tale, I wondered why she would do that. She was so young. Then I realized how her story of overcoming teenage pregnancy, physical and sexual abuse, and other issues made her a role model for other young women who were also struggling.

We recently spoke with Fantasia after we learned she was in Washington, D.C., to star as Celie in the stage adaption of "The Color Purple."

Singer Fantasia receives praise from fans on stage during the curtain call of The Color Purple at the Broadway Theater in New York City. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

 

The American Idol had conquered Broadway.

In the production, Fantasia was a complete revelation! She became Celie. That cannot be easy, considering the themes of "The Color Purple" -- abuse, low self-esteem, poverty, fear, sadness -- and having to reenact those themes eight times weekly in performance.

So when Michel, myself and our technical engineer Kim Jones, traipsed over to the Kennedy Center for the interview, I honestly didn't know what to expect.

Then Fantasia came in the room, and gave us the biggest hugs ever. And the interview aspect of it all somehow went away -- it became a girlfriends session!

Continue reading "Why I'm A Fantasia Fan" >

On stage preparations continue as people begin to gather at the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Spencer Weiner-Pool/Getty Images

 

Time is not on our side today. The Michael Jackson memorial service is in the middle of the day in Los Angeles (and on Pacific time).

And, as well, we now that some of you are so over the whole thing.

But if the event does not mean something to all of you, it clearly means a lot to some of you. So, tomorrow we regroup and figure out what we can offer up that will balance those competing objectives, recognizing that we may not be able to.

And yes, we drilled down today. We did a particular focus on how the economic downturn is affecting African-Americans (pdf), in particular, and minorities, in general. I think there is a quiet Katrina-like situation brewing and it is revealed in the numbers in this report.

You can set aside the ideological underpinnings and, even a debate about how to respond, and still consider: what does this mean when a whole generation loses the wealth it worked for?

Spike Lee (left, with Danny Aiello as Sal) both directs and stars in Do The Right Thing. Lee's character, Mookie, works at Sal's Famous Pizzeria in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Universal

 

Lee Hill, here ...

Can you believe it? It's been 20 years since the big-screen debut of film director Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing?

We decided to join forces with the online magazine theRoot.com to commemorate the anniversary. Together, we're exploring why the film remains an artistic heavyweight for many, and whether this country has made progress when it comes to respecting differences in an increasingly multi-ethnic nation.

In other words, do collisions of class, race and culture remain so profound that the 20-year-old message of Do The Right Thing still resonates?

If you've even remotely followed Spike Lee's career in film, then you know that this particular project was no exception to his earlier suite of films. Many would agree that his trademark, if you will, in Hollywood has been using the cinema as a vehicle to speak out (and loudly) about issues he thinks are too commonly unspoken of and under-explored by some of the big thinkers of our time -- interracial and interracial divisions, for example (School Daze, Jungle Fever and Bamboozled come to mind)...

So here's a question for you ...

If you remember watching Do The Right Thing when it first debuted in 1989, is the focus on stubborn cultural perceptions and complacent ignorance still relevant in the of this country's first black president?

Or have we moved forward? ... Or nowhere?

And we know that Spike Lee is only one such filmmaker to explore these issues, and that he enjoys a much larger profile than others who also use the arts to examine these realities extensively, and with a much smaller spotlight. So, please, if you think of others whose work line of work lies within the same vein, do share.

(And, I can't resist, what's your favorite -- or least favorite -- "Spike Lee joint"? And for what reason?)

Pressure Cooker opens in selected theaters on May 27. Participant Media

 

I am thinking about a conversation I had with Herman Badillo, a former Deputy Mayor of New York and Borough President of Manhattan. He's a former college president, and a very big name in New York. This was about two years ago and Badillo had just published a memoir. One of the things that stood out for me (and we didn't get into it in the interview for some reason) is that he loathes vocational education. I can't remember whether he had been steered into vocational education, or whether this is just something he found out about when he got into politics, but he talked about this particular program in New York that was supposed to teach aeronautics. He says it was out of date and ridiculous, just warehousing for black and Latino kids, in particular, and poor kids, in general. He wrote that the technology was all out of date and it was just a way to keep kids, that nobody wanted to be bothered with, occupied.

That stuck with me because our new Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, the former superintendent of Chicago schools, is a huge fan of vocational education. He has pushed all kinds of programs in Chicago schools to let kids explore culinary arts and other fields in a deep and consistent way. Duncan says that it opens doors for kids who may not be suited to, or interested in traditional high school, and he says it teaches good work habits and all kinds of so-called "soft" skills.

So who is right?

That's the question I found myself thinking about as I watched Pressure Cooker, a new documentary about a culinary arts program and its force-of-nature teacher, Wilma Stephenson (pronounced Steffanson, like Steffanwolf -- I am dating myself, I know). The film opens in New York on May 27 and in Los Angeles on June 5. It's hilarious to watch, in a scary kind of way, because you can't decide whether you wish Ms. Stephenson had been your teacher, or if you are grateful she was not. But she loves those kids, and she is pushing them to be as excellent as they can be because, in her view, a lot is at stake. She wants them to know that as hot as it may get in her kitchen, it's hotter out there in the real world.

Can they take it?

Could the rest of us? Listen to today's interview with Ms. Stephenson, and you tell me.

Monika Evstatieva, here...

How is everybody? I know it's only Tuesday, but some of you might be already thinking of that happy hour coming up after work today. It's Cinco De Mayo today and these Coronas are looking awfully good. But our TMM producer Arwa Gunja might not quite agree with you. Arwa, break it down...

Monika, it's May 5. And if you remember my commentary from a year ago, my feelings about this supposed celebration of Mexico's Independence (Cinco de Mayo) have not changed. If you missed it, you can check out below (even if you are sipping on your Corona while you listen)

Thank you, Arwa! Now, it's your turn! What do you think about Cinco De Mayo?

And before signing off, I wanted to let you know we have a really interesting blog coming up today about breastfeeding. So, stay tuned and don't miss out.

Blog to you soon.

Lee Hill, here ...

In a final installment of the series Tell Me More About Women's History, Marj Snyder, of the Womens Sports Foundation, tells the story of women and athletics.

Take a listen:

Lee Hill, here ...

In case you missed it:

And you can listen to our exclusive performance chat with Corneille here.

Also, we're taking the show on the road. Tomorrow, tune in as we Tell Me More from Raleigh-Durham, NC.

A colleague of mine who loves the news business more than anybody I know (a business which has not always loved him back, by the way -- but that's another story) used to say the same thing whenever we were fretting about having a slow news day or week, worrying that we'd have nothing to keep people interested.

"Reality will provide," he'd say.

The phrase popped into my head because, as we left on Friday, we were debating exactly what we should focus on for today's program. At that point, there were so many things percolating:

1.) U.S. mayors were meeting at a conference in Miami. So many of the issues they were talking about are things we talk about every day -- like crime, the foreclosure crisis, poverty and the environment. Sen. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton talked with the group of city leaders over the weekend.

Would anybody want to hear more, we asked?

2.) Floodwaters in the Midwest are receding. Do we need to check in on recovery efforts?

If you don't live there, do you care?

3.) And, we normally check in on Mondays with The Washington Post Magazine. We had our eyes on a riveting story about those who literally keep watch in the interagency watch center that evaluates possible security threats on air travel, clearly a matter of urgency in the wake of Sept. 11.

Could we get the reporter on the line? In the studio?

... And then a bombshell. In Zimbabwe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who heads the Movement for Democratic Change -- whose party mounted the most serious challenge to Robert Mugabe in his 28 years of presidential rule -- announces on SUNDAY that he is withdrawing from the race. As of right now, NPR's Morning Edition is trying to reach him for an interview. They are first show up, as we say (heard earlier in the day than other NPR programs), but we're next.

Clearly a story to which we have devoted much time and energy is a priority.

Who can we get? Who is on the ground? Who knows what's going on?

We were very fortunate to reach reporter Jeffrey Barbee, who is reporting on the ground in Zimbabwe. We also heard from Open Society Institute analyst Akwe Amosu for more analysis.

Still, we did want to hear more about the mayors' meeting in Miami. Michael Nutter of Philadelphia was our guest.

And we also reported on a study (pdf) about the problem of long emergency room waits and how they affect patients needing mental health services.

Finally, Say You're One of Them. It's a book of short stories from a fresh and unexpected new African voice, Uwem Akpan. We hope to bring you a number of conversations about new fiction from Africa over the course of the summer. But here's a start.

Uwem Akpan's exhilarating, heartbreaking collection. The stories so moved singer Angelique Kidjo that she composed a song about it. Agbalagba closes the show.

We did not have time for Laura Blumenfeld's fascinating piece about the Homeland Security watch group. So here it is.

Does it change the way you think about having to take off your shoes at the airport?

Michel Martin, right, is pictured with comedienne and actress Mo'Nique during a recent visit to NPR. Credit: George Lyle, NPR

Oh! One more more thing. Comedienne and actress Mo'Nique was in the house the other day to talk about her new film, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and a new season of "Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance."

In case you missed the interview (she's hilarious!), you can still check it out ...

Mo'Nique's new film opens in theaters Feb. 8th.

iStock

Lee, here. Blogging from a freezing Milwaukee...

To keep in-step with the Season, we've prepared for you a special holiday gift of Tell Me More conversations. Enjoy!:

Christmas Eve

Star power, once again, graced our studios. We take a special peek at the new film (in theaters on Christmas Day), The Great Debaters.

Denzel Washington, who directed and starred in the film, paid a visit to NPR, as well as his co-stars: Jurnee Sollett (you might remember her as Eve in the 1997 film Eve's Bayou), Denzel Whitaker (a.k.a. the 17-year-old super kid; he's super mature, super enlightened) and Nate Parker (the studious actor also played Hakim in the film Pride, which debuted earlier this year).

We were also pleased to be joined by Ken Tolson, the grandson of Melvin Tolson, who's renowned work as an educator, poet and mentor is chronicled in the film.

It's the sophomore production with Washington as Director (his first was the emotional true story of Antwone Fisher in 2002).

Christmas Day

We take you inside the Advent Conspiracy. Sounds bizarre, we know. But, I think that's exactly why you'll want to tune in. Michel Martin talks to the folks behind the "conspiracy" to ask them all the questions you're probably wondering.

Also, hear from listeners who spend their holiday at the workplace.

(Speaking of which, how are you spending Christmas Day? If you don't celebrate, for whatever reason, or if you do, we want to know ... what's your tradition, if any? Please, do share...)

Finally, as the bow on our holiday gift to you, we'll spend Christmas with our Mocha Moms. They'll be joined by their children to tell us what the holidays mean to them.

Enjoy your gift! Send us your feedback. Let us know which conversations you like the most. And, don't forget to let us know how you're spending the holidays...

Amidst all of the holiday hustle and bustle, Tell Me More wishes you the Season's best -- from our family to yours. Cheers!

This has to be short. We are working on some FABULOUS programming for the Christmas and New Year's holidays -- we know that many of you will be traveling, out of your normal routines so you may not catch us the first time around. Either way, we hope you'll either catch us on the air or download us later ... if you miss us the first time.

I can't tell you everything we have coming up ... that would be wrong. But, here's a little hint: DENZEL!!! DENZEL!!! DENZEL!!!

Oh, sorry, was I getting a little excited? Um, sorry. Excuse me. Michel, get it together.

OK, what was I saying? Christmas, right...

There's an important new movie coming out Christmas Day about an important historical figure -- a towering figure who I say most of us have never heard of. But, that is going to change. Some star power, some history, we have it all.

Also, some really interesting stuff for Christmas Day and beyond: Who fascinated YOU this year? We'll tell you our picks and tell you more about them.

And as for today's show, we continued with our Thursday focus on international affairs. The U.N. Deputy Secretary-General, Asha Rose-Migiro was with us. She stopped through Washington last week. The U.N. is a big mystery to most of us. What exactly do those people do there? Migiro tried to peel back the layers a bit, and she told us some of her own fascinating story.

And speaking of fascinating, we spoke with William "Kip" Ward, probably one of the most powerful African-Americans you've never heard of. He is the only African-American four-star general currently in service, and he now heads the new Africa Command. We'll let him tell you what he's up to.

And for some light fare, chick-lit from India! Check it out ... ( if you don't know what that is, don't worry, we'll hook you up).

OK, gotta go. And have I mentioned that I still haven't finished my shopping?

Sigh...

Lee, here...

Leaving you with more pics from our chat with cast members of The Perfect Holiday. In case you didn't catch it when it aired, you can SEE and HEAR the lively conversation here.

Cheers!

(Photo credit: Trina Williams, NPR)

End photo (l-r): Marie Nelson (TMM), Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Michel Martin (TMM), Queen Latifah, Faizon Love, Teshima Walker (TMM) and Lee Hill (TMM)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (not quite the worst, but you get the idea).

Our program today veers between the lighthearted and the harder edges of our society.

We start with a new poll (pdf) by New America Media. Polls are always controversial and subject to debate, but we found this one so interesting we felt we had to bring it to you. It's about how African Americans, Latinos and Asians see each OTHER (as well as whites). The pollsters believe it is the first of its kind to ask these groups these questions in this way. It's multilingual. People were interviewed in their language of choice -- whether English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese or Tagalong. I cannot possibly summarize all the findings here, but the poll found that each of these groups -- black, so-called "brown" and "yellow" -- have some very negative attitudes about each other and very different views about race. Large majorities of blacks and Hispanics think racial tension is a real problem in this country; only 37 percent of Asians thought so. Asked whether they would EVER vote for an African American for president, 37 percent of Asians said ... no, they wouldn't.

And nearly half of all Hispanics and Asians said they are afraid of blacks because they are responsible for the majority of crime (I am assuming they didn't mean securities fraud, predatory lending and Enron, but I digress) and nearly half of all blacks said they feel threatened by Latin immigrants.

On the other hand, significant numbers of all groups pushed back against the negative attitudes. And all the groups expressed optimism about the future relations of these groups. Go figure. What does it all mean? We couldn't possibly sort it all out so we made a start. If you have a minute, read the poll for yourself, see what you think, and see if you see areas for further discussion. AND, if you'd like to take part ... the wonder of radio. If we can get you to a telephone we can get you involved in the discussion.

Then...

The Perfect Holiday! The Queen, Latifah, was in the house along with her crew from the new film. It opens today, we had a lot of fun. They stopped by last week so we couldn't keep the love to ourselves. We invited an in-studio audience of NPR folks and friends. Enjoy it! We even had snow for their arrival ... it was so Christmassy!

Gabrielle Union

Getty Images

Lee, here.

So today was a big day for the show. Four of Hollywood's most beloved stopped by and hung out for a bit -- Queen Latifah, Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union and Faizon Love. They sat with us to talk about their new movie, The Perfect Holiday. ALL of them were pleasant and, genuinely, seemed like good people to shoot the breeze with ... and ask a few tough questions.

But, folks, they almost had to call EMS when the lovely Gabrielle Union greeted me with such a beautiful smile. She's so gracious ... and (gotta say this) so, breathtakingly, gorgeous. In this business, it's not uncommon for us to see and talk to "big names" quite often. But I have yet to meet the likes of Ms. Union.

OK, enough of that. But I'm just saying...

(Standby. The actual interview, complete with video and photos from the casts' visit, is on its way.)

Moving on...

I want to address a blog comment we received in response to our story (and blog post) yesterday on one reporter's allegations of being treated unfairly by the New York City Police Department. Here's a comment from dirtyblues:

Is the depth of most usa black adult males so shallow -- that a legal request for information from police officer (of color) is consider[ed] a de-humanizing experience -- requiring a federal civil rights case? This incident shows just how 'razor-thin' the self-esteem is of the usa black male professional class at all levels...

Let me share my story. Spring 2003, I was in New Orleans on business -- pre-Katrina, of course. I'd just had dinner with some colleagues and was walking (not stumbling ... I'd not had any alcohol) back to my hotel, alone, from the French Quarter. It was late evening, but before 10 p.m.

...So I'm walking down the street, minding my own business when a squad car stops alongside me, two cops hop out and begin to question me asking, "Where are you coming from?"

I answered.

They asked, "What are you doing out here?"

Answered that, too.

Adding to the drama, about two minutes later, another squad car pulls up. Two more cops join in the questioning. (You can imagine where this is going...) Long-short: they made me put my "hands on the car" and frisked me -- went through my pockets, wallet, etc... After learning that I live in Washington (and work in the media), they let me go ... almost immediately.

So, dirtyblues, is it really a matter of being shallow? I must say, I found the experience very dehumanizing. I, probably much like Leonardo Blair of the New York Post, can't help but wonder ... What if I was a "local," or had no professional affiliation that could be perceived as a threat to whatever their motives might have been that night? I certainly didn't leave their presence affirmed by what I learned as a child -- "policemen are your friends..."

And, did race play a factor?...

Continue reading "Hollywood Comes to TMM, More on 'Stop and Frisk'" >

Sweet Honey in the Rock (Aisha Kahlil, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson and Ysaye Barnwell) pictured with Michel Martin in NPR's Studio 4a. Credit: Jeeun Lee, NPR

Did you remember to turn your clocks back?

I loved my extra hour. I looked forward to it all week. I knew exactly what I was going to do with it -- in the same way that, if I find a crumpled dollar bill in my jeans I leave it there to later treat myself when I am ready ... a gift expected and unexpected at the same time.

Speaking of gifts expected and unexpected ... Sweet Honey in the Rock!!!! It was our first performance chat. How can I describe it? This incredible women's a capella group has been together for 34 years. How do you keep a group together for 34 years? And they continue to perform and produce new material. They were here with us in NPR's studio 4a to celebrate and perform pieces from their new CD Experience ... 101. The ladies even treated us to one of their best loved songs, Breaths

If you are in need of inspiration, comfort and joy today, this is the program for you. You might want to bookmark the link on your computer, or your MP3 player, to savor it.

It was a big day for us on any number of levels. NPR's new music site made its debut today and, a big deal for us, the concert is featured.

Take a listen. We do hope you enjoy it...

And, to begin the program, you know that we have been committed to following the immigration story. This week, Prince William County, Va., a suburb outside of Washington, D.C., holds local elections this week. You've probably heard that a number of local jurisdictions have been taking their own measures to fight illegal immigration, believing the federal government is not doing enough to protect their budgets and quality of life. We drove out to Prince William County to meet a candidate who's challenging a longtime incumbent with a write-in candidacy, believing officials have demagogued the immigration issue to distract from deeper fiscal problems. The incumbent wouldn't talk to us. He says he can't because of a lawsuit brought against the county for recent efforts to restrict services to illegal immigrants. But the head of a group organized to fight illegal immigration locally did talk to us.

People tend to know where they stand on this issue, but what stood out for me was the passion for a sense of community on both sides. Both sides seemed to be saying their community was changing in ways each did not like. It's a clich??, but it's true -- and continually interesting -- to see how people can live so close together and yet be miles apart.

Here's a documentary, posted on YouTube, about the fight in Prince William County:

And for tomorrow, we are chasing news about the allegations of abuse at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Last week, we brought you an update from a reporter who's been covering the story. She talked about how hard it was to get information. Today, just as we were headed for air, Oprah spoke publicly and at length (for the first time since the allegations arose) in a full blown press conference in South Africa. We hope to have more for you on this story tomorrow...

Oy! November 1. That means I'm already behind on my Christmas shopping, according to our personal finance guy Alvin Hall.

But at least we are AHEAD on a couple of things -- the elections this Monday in Trinidad and Tobago, and we give you a taste of this fall's current obsession with black gangsters.

Can I just tell you? ... Moral dilemma with that segment. My underlying view is this: you invite people to come to a program because you believe they have something to say that your listeners might want to hear, that there is of some benefit to whart's being discussed. With so many black gangster film and television projects in the works right now, it seemed logical to talk about a couple of them; we chose the documentaries (we talked to Ruby Dee about the feature film, American Gangster, for Wednesday's program).

...But how do you deal with the fact that these films could be seen as glamorizing the destructive, dangerous, anti-social behavior demonstrated by the subjects of these films? Because, don't get it twisted, the subjects of these movies are drug dealers. They sold heroin and coke, and by extention, aided and abetted addiction and death, mostly among their own communities, for no reason other than money. These aren't freedom fighters, people. They have no cause other than lining their pockets.

So what do you do? Do you blast the filmmakers for making the films? Or, appreciate the work as a window into a world we need to understand?

I remember, when I was at Nightline, the program aired a segment with the Chechen rebel leader believed to have planned the taking of hostages in Beslan, one of the most depraved terrorist acts of recent memory. Hundreds of school children and their mothers were killed or wounded after having been held for days in deplorable conditions. A Russian journalist was able to obtain an exclusive interview with the rebel leader (who was later killed, but that's another story). Nightline's decision to air the documentary caused outrage in Russia and a diplomatic dressing-down of the U.S. ambassador.

To me airing the interview was a no-brainer; we needed to know what would make a human being do that to other people's children. How could he possibly justify it? There was no possible way you could consider the report "glamorizing" or justifying the behavior. But the Russians didn't see it that way. They saw it as offering a platform to a murderous, amoral terrorist.

So what about us? What about Nicky Barnes and Frank Lucas, two of the most notorious drug kingpins of the 70s in NY? Why give them any shine at all?

I asked the filmmakers in today's conversation that very question.

I'll leave it to you to decide whether you think they -- and we -- did the right thing by talking about their work at all.

On another note, I hope you noticed our ongoing commitment to international news. The Caribbean is not just a vacation location, it's a region with exciting and dynamic politics. Can't wait to see what happens in elections there next week.

And, I thought the interview with the former president of Mozambique was very exciting. How often do you get to call up a former president, especially one who has just won a $5 million prize, for good governance?