Tell Me More on Xtra HD

Why Former Gitmo Chief Left In Protest

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

President Obama is once again calling for the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be shut down, even though new polls suggest most Americans want it to stay open. But the chorus of critics has gained one surprising member: former Guantanamo Chief Prosecutor Morris Davis. Host Michel Martin talks with Davis about why he now feels the facility should be closed.

A Seat At The Table With The 'Queen Of Creole Cuisine'

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

Leah Chase's restaurant in New Orleans has served the likes of Thurgood Marshall, Sarah Vaughn and Duke Ellington. Now the legendary chef has earned the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award. Host Michel Martin speaks with Chase about her latest accomplishment.

Price Too High For Being World's Top Military Force?

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

President Obama defended his administration's use of drone strikes this week. The Barbershop guys weigh in on that — plus the latest controversy around Tiger Woods, and the Boy Scouts lifting their ban on gay youth. Host Michel Martin speaks with writer Jimi Izrael, civil rights attorney Arsalan Iftikhar, sports writer Pablo Torre and columnist Jeff Yang.

Famed NY Cop Serpico Calls Out Stop-And-Frisk Defender

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

Tell Me More host Michel Martin and editor Ammad Omar crack open the listener inbox. This week, listeners like former NYPD Detective Frank Serpico weigh in on a heated interview about the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk policy.

Minister To Lose Job After Performing Same-Sex Marriage?

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

When Methodist minister Reverend Thomas Ogletree officiated his son's same-sex marriage, he didn't think it would cause a stir. But now some New York United Methodist Church ministers are threatening to defrock him. He speaks with Host Michel Martin about the controversy and why he feels he's being singled out.

Pitbull Gets 'Epic': 'You Constantly Have To Defend Your Success'

NPR Staff — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:50:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlI4uzZGjU

HBCU President Asks Dr. Dre, Why Not Us?

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Moving on to other news in education, last week hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre and music producer Jimmy Iovine announced that they would be giving the University of Southern California $70 million to create a degree that will blend business, marketing, product development, design and liberal arts.

Many are applauding this donation, not least at USC, but some are asking, why not give the money to a struggling school?

CBC Chair Marcia Fudge Wants Caucus To Be Heard On The Hill

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:32:00 +0000

Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge is still relatively new on the block. But she's established herself as the new head of the Congressional Black Congress. In the role, she's already been very vocal about whether the President is doing enough for people of color. Host Michel Martin talks with Congresswomen Fudge about her ideas for America.

Being Blind To Financial Need: Is It Worth It?

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:32:00 +0000

Millions of students rely on loans and grants for their studies. But with universities strapped for cash, fewer schools are able to admit students regardless of their financial need. Host Michel Martin asks the President of Iowa's Grinnell College, Dr. Raynard Kington, why his school considered putting a halt to need-blind admissions.

Powerball? America Already Hit The Jackpot

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Finally today, I'm still thinking about that massive Powerball jackpot last weekend. That caused me to think about what's wrong with Powerball — the most important thing, of course, being the fact that I didn't win. You know you feel the same way. I'm sure I would have been a good winner. Like Oprah, I would use my powers for good and not evil. Like, I might buy a Bentley out of the showroom window, just to prove to myself that I could. But then I'd settle down and endow scholarships, and fix up blighted storefronts, and invest in local businesses.

Tattoos Still Taboo?

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:40:00 +0000

America has a love/hate relationship with tattoos, but body ink is becoming more and more mainstream. Host Michel Martin speaks with Fatty, the owner of Fatty's Custom Tattooz in Washington, D.C, about America's fascination with tattoos, and the fading cultural taboos.

Sandy Hook's Future: What's To Become Of The School?

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Now we'd like to turn to a story that more than five months later is still painful. In the aftermath of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School last December, the Newtown, Connecticut community had many tough decisions to make. One of them was just what should happen to the elementary school where 26 people were killed.

Rich Harwood is the founder and president of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. That's a nonprofit group that facilitates community discussions.

The Argument For Stop-And-Frisk

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Today, as you would expect, we are continuing to follow events in Moore, Okla., where residents are recovering from the impact of a deadly tornado. We decided to call on leaders from Joplin, Mo. Two years ago today, that town was also hit. So we thought this would be a good time to check in on Joplin's recovery, and see if there are any lessons Joplin residents can offer their neighbors.

But first, we are going to go back to New York City.

Styling The NBA

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. For the end of our program today, we want to talk about two aspects of American style. In a few minutes, we're going to talk about tattoos. They used to be something you got when you went into the Army or to jail, but now they've gone mainstream. We'll talk with a leading tattoo artist about that in just a minute.

But first, we turn to another influential arena of American style where the rules are changing.

The Difficulties Of Proving Racial Profiling

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News. We'd like to start today by mentioning that, as you would imagine, NPR is continuing to follow developments concerning that deadly tornado that struck Oklahoma yesterday. We hope you will stay tuned to your public radio station or check our website, npr.org, for the latest updates.

Now, though, we are going to turn to the debate about balancing safety and civil liberties in New York City.

Market At Record Highs, Why Is Investment At Record Lows?

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We're going to switch gears now and take another look at the stock market. Last week about the same time, we talked about how the Dow has been hitting record highs, but did you know that stock ownership in this country is at record lows? According to a recent Gallup poll, only about half of Americans, 52 percent, now own stocks. That's the lowest level since Gallup started tracking that number back in 1998.

We wondered what, if anything, that means, so we've called, once again, upon one of our money coaches, Roben Farzad.

My Social Security Number Is Posted Where?

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Sensitive personal information belonging to thousands of applicants to a government phone program was exposed to the public on the Internet, according to a new investigative report from Scripps Howard News Service.

The federal program is called Lifeline, and it reimburses phone companies for providing service to low-income Americans.

Scripps reporter Isaac Wolf says he was able to access more than 100,000 records from one of those private

Getting Rid Of My Breasts, A Lot Of People Didn't Understand

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but maybe you just need a few moms in your corner. Every week, we check in with a diverse group of parents for their common sense and savvy advice.

Today, though, we are talking about a difficult decision that both mothers and daughters face, sometimes together.

Decades Of History Behind IRS Flap

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News. Coming up, when you think about poverty in this country, you might think about certain people living in certain places. It turns out that some of those old assumptions are wrong. For example, more poor people now live in the suburbs. We'll talk about why that is in just a few minutes.

But first, we want to turn to that big story about the Internal Revenue Service.

Christine Ha: From MasterChef To Home Kitchen

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

When Christine Ha won MasterChef in 2012, she blew the reality TV show judges away with her Vietnamese influenced cooking. But what really impressed viewers was that she had total control in the kitchen, even though she's blind. Host Michel Martin speaks to Christine Ha about her new cookbook Recipes from my Home Kitchen.

'Scandal' Creates Twitter Frenzy

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Social media was ablaze during the season finale of ABC's hit political thriller Scandal. Host Michel Martin asks Gene Demby, blogger for NPR's Code Switch team, what it is about the show that makes it ripe for Twitter chatter — especially among African Americans.

Nearly Half The Country Doesn't Know Health Law Exists

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Transcript

CELESTE HEADLEE, HOST:

I'm Celeste Headlee and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Michel Martin is away. Coming up, we go to Ohio where black business owners are meeting to swap some new ideas. Basketball legend Magic Johnson even got a lead on an investment there. We'll tell you more about that in just a few minutes. But first, House Republicans voted yesterday to repeal President Obama's signature healthcare law - again.

That is the 37th time that they have voted to either repeal or de-fund all or part of that law.

Could The President's Week Get Any Worse?

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Transcript

CELESTE HEADLEE, HOST:

I'm Celeste Headlee. This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Michel Martin is away and it is time yet again for a visit to the Barbershop. That's where the guys talk about what's in the news, what's on their minds.

And sitting in the chairs for a shape-up this week, writer and culture critic Jimi Izrael. He joins us from Chicago. Here in Washington, civil rights attorney Arsalan Iftikhar. Also in D.C. with me, Corey Dade. He's a contributing editor for The Root. And, in New York City, Kevin Williamson joins us.

How Best To Encourage Black 'Teenpreneurs'

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Transcript

CELESTE HEADLEE, HOST:

This is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News. Michel Martin is away. I'm Celeste Headlee. Coming up, it's National Bike to Work Day, but many millennials prefer two wheels to four. Why more 20-somethings are driving less. That's just ahead.

But first, African-American entrepreneurs from all over the country gathered in Columbus, Ohio this week to talk about spurring investment in black-owned businesses. The Black Enterprise Entrepreneur's Conference attracted big names, like basketball-star-turned-businessman Magic Johnson.

Gosnell Verdict Raises Questions About Access To Abortions

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Later in the program family members of both the suspects in the Cleveland kidnappings and the Boston Marathon bombings have denounced them. And that made us wonder about the family members of other people who have been accused of horrible acts.

From Fame's Leroy To Jay-Z

NPR Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Looking for Leroy is a new book by Mark Anthony Neal that takes a look at how high profile black men like Jay-Z, Denzel Washington and Barack Obama shape our perceptions of black masculinity in America. He sat down with Tell Me More's Michel Martin.

Inspired by Fame

The "Leroy" in the title refers to the character played by actor Gene Anthony Ray in the 80s movie and television show Fame. Neal says he was "fascinated by this character.

When Your Dad Is A Killer, How Do You Cope?

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Later in the program we will speak with writer and scholar Mark Anthony Neal about his new book, "Looking For Leroy." It's about how black men on stage, screen and on the radio shape and reshape how we think about black men in everyday life. That's in just a few minutes.

But first, we want to touch on one of the stories that's both fascinated and appalled this country recently.

Play Ball: Little Leaguers Get Assist From 'Pitch In' Charity

Bill Chappell — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:26:00 +0000

This year's Little League baseball and softball season is under way — and in the Northeast, some teams and players have taken the field again, despite losing vital equipment to Hurricane Sandy. Many donations were handled by Pitch In For Baseball, which gathered used and new gloves and helmets for the players.

In February, the organization announced it would provide equipment worth $150,000 to baseball and softball players in the New York region.

DOJ Seized Records Because 'Lives Were At Stake.' Really?

editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. Later in the program we'll talk about a story that another U.S. service member is being investigated for sexually abusing subordinates. This after a survey showed that service members reported tens of thousands of sexual assaults last year alone.

Actress Regina King On Why She Loves 'The Sandlot'

editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Next, our colleagues at the NPR program WEEKENDS on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED have been asking some of their guests - particularly people in the film business - about the movies that they never get tired of watching.

Today, we hear from actress Regina King.