Accessibility links
BackTalk BackTalk lifts the curtain on conversations happening on the Tell Me More blog and highlights general feedback to the program.
Special Series

BackTalk

Opinion

Father's Day Features Stir Online Buzz

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear reaction to a recent commentary about the anxieties of choosing a name for a baby. Also, one listener disagrees with a guest who recent implied that the culture of Hip-Hop music is anti-intellectual.

Father's Day Features Stir Online Buzz

Listen · 3:13
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/127931763/127931749" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

News Of Fallen Evangelical Leader’s Resurgence Stirs Listeners

Former evangelical leader was defamed almost four years ago amid accusations that he paid a male prostitute for sex and drugs. Now Rev. Haggard is starting a new church. Listeners comment on Haggard’s new vision, and a conversation about veteran journalist Helen Thomas’ resignation from her longtime post at the White House.

News Of Fallen Evangelical Leader’s Resurgence Stirs Listeners

Listen · 3:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/127769218/127769204" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Segment On Atheism Prompts Listener Response

Host Michel Martin and Tell Me More's Jessica Deahl review listener responses to the past week's worth of programming. A segment about African American atheists got a lot of listeners stirred up. And a blog post about Gary Coleman's passing, prompted many to reflect on the star's life and legacy.

Segment On Atheism Prompts Listener Response

Listen · 4:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/127475994/127475984" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Identify With Host's Family Suicide Tragedy

Tell Me More guest host Tony Cox and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. Hundreds of listeners reached out to the program this week following host Michel Martin's commentary on her brother's recent suicide. Hear Tell Me More listener Erica Soelling reflect on the loss of her boyfriend, who recently took his own life. She explains why -- and how -- she's determined to keep his memory alive.

Listeners Identify With Host's Family Suicide Tragedy

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/127239917/127239907" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Weigh In On Taxi Cab Frustration

Tell Me More guest host Allison Keyes and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback about recent conversations on the program. This week, we’ll hear your views of this week’s commentary about perceived racial prejudice by taxicab drivers. Keyes and Hill also provide an update on the case of a Detroit seven-year-old who was accidentally gunned down by city police.

Listeners Weigh In On Taxi Cab Frustration

Listen · 3:16
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/127037866/127036921" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

'Mothers Without Children' Respond With Thanks

Guest host Allison Keyes talks with Tell Me More's Jessica Deahl to review listener feedback from the past week. Host Michel Martin's commentary on "Mothers Without Children" struck a chord with many, as did one of our guest's views on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's career.

'Mothers Without Children' Respond With Thanks

Listen · 4:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/126828956/126828938" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Shares Views On Immigration, Survival Stories From Nashville

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear more reaction to the controversial new immigration law in Arizona and a candid story of survival from a listener who survived the devastating floods in Nashville.

Listeners Shares Views On Immigration, Survival Stories From Nashville

Listen · 2:53
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/126608241/126608230" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Sound Off On Tea Party Movement

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear reaction to a recent commentary questioning the motivations of the Tea Party Movement, and one listener's experience growing up biracial. Also, hear one blogger's thoughtful farewell to civil rights leader Dorothy Height, who died Tuesday at age 98.

Listeners Sound Off On Tea Party Movement

Listen · 3:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/126219408/126219393" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Chime In On Erykah Badu's 'Window Seat'

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Tanya Ballard Brown, an NPR digital news editor, sort through listener feedback and offer updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, the audience weighs in on Michel's commentary about the racial disparity in graduation rates between male basketball players in the Final Four and our conversation about women in politics with NPR's Cokie Roberts. We also hear from listeners about the fuss over Erykah Badu's video for her new song, "Window Seat."

Listeners Chime In On Erykah Badu's 'Window Seat'

Listen · 3:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125499999/125499984" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Blogosphere Booms About Black Women's Hair, Lady Gaga

Guest host Allison Keyes and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear reaction to Keyes’ commentary on touching black hair from a white who explains how the sensitivity isn't only limited to black women. Also, a listener from Australia weighs in on the hype surrounding Lady Gaga and the gay community.

Blogosphere Booms About Black Women's Hair, Lady Gaga

Listen · 3:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125220506/125220488" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Listeners Share Reactions To This Week's Show

Host Michel Martin and producer Jessica Deahl review audience responses to the past week's stories. A commentary on the loss of professional reporters and editors spurred a lot of debate, as did the show's interview with Ada Calhoun, author of the book Instinctive Parenting. A story covered earlier in the month, about a jailed Burmese-American pro-democracy activist in Burma, is revisited with an update. The activist, Nyi Nyi Aung, was released from Burmese custody this week.

Listeners Share Reactions To This Week's Show

Listen · 4:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/124895108/124895093" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Listeners Speak Out On Gay Marriage In D.C.

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear reaction to recent conversations about same-sex couples who can now marry in the District of Columbia and reaction to a debate within the black community about actress Mo'Nique's recent Oscar win. Also, Hill offers an update on the latest political troubles of New York Governor David Paterson.

Listeners Speak Out On Gay Marriage In D.C.

Listen · 4:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/124623742/124623727" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Black Sorority Member Speaks Out On Step Show Upset

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, hear reaction to a stepping showdown, where a predominantly white sorority step team won a major competition and how that angered members of black Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities. Also, the community organization ACORN may have just been exonerated from a 2009 sting operation, where employees were caught on video apparently advising a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp to lie about their work and fudge their earnings.

Black Sorority Member Speaks Out On Step Show Upset

Listen · 3:35
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/124366758/124363322" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Listeners Weigh In On Black Love, McDonald's Pull On Olympians

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and Lee Hill, the program's "digital media guy," comb through listener feedback and offer important news updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, the audience weighs in on the state of black relationships roundtable and TMM Producer Monika Evstatieva's commentary on McDonald's sponsorship of the Winter Olympics.

Listeners Weigh In On Black Love, McDonald's Pull On Olympians

Listen · 2:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123889617/123889603" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Listener Relates To Gayle Haggard, Obama Honors Civil Rights Music

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and the program’s multi-media producer Lee Hill check through listener feedback and offer updates to recent conversations heard on the program. This week, the audience weighs in on our recent conversation with Gayle Haggard about her book “Why I Stayed,’ which chronicles her decision to remain married to Ted Haggard, the evangelical leader who lost his mega-church ministry in Colorado after he admitted to having an affair with a male prostitute.. We also hear listeners’ thoughts about this week’s White House’s celebration of music from the civil rights movement.

Listener Relates To Gayle Haggard, Obama Honors Civil Rights Music

Listen · 6:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123645464/123645445" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript