Airing This Month

Hidden Persuasion (December 2-8)

Many companies are now hiring “actors” to strike up conversations with unsuspecting customers in order to convince people to buy their products according to Vince Magnini (Longwood University). This growing use of undercover sales agents along with ‘product placement’ in the movies and television raises ethical and legal questions.

Also: We think of the Holidays as a time of joy and coming together, but many Americans suffer through the holiday season. Goodlett McDaniel (George Mason University) explains why the holidays can be tough, and what we can do to get through.

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What Bugs Bunny Said to Red Riding Hood (December 9-15)

“What Bugs Bunny Said to Red Riding Hood” is the provocative title of a poem by Tim Seibles (Old Dominion University) who says there should be more grown-up erotic poetry. In his latest collection, Buffalo Head Solos, Seibles writes about sex and race with a certain amount of comfort and familiarity in a culture that is not too comfortable with either topic.

Also: poet Daniel Pravda (Norfolk State University) spends a lot of time in brightly-lit diners and dimly-lit bars observing the patrons and incorporating their stories into his poetry.

Tim Seibles' webpage at the Smith College Poetry Center

2005 Washington Post article quoting Daniel Pravda's "Poem Written in Barbeque Sauce"

Old World Beat (December 16-22)

Klezmer music, once rooted in the Jewish religious tradition, is now being played on festival stages, nightclubs and concert halls throughout the world. Many of the roots of American Jazz and Broadway music can be traced to Klezmer. Joel Rubin (University of Virginia) is both a historian of Klezmer music and a clarinetist who has just released a new CD.

Also: Kevin J. Stees (James Madison University) talks about the rich history of American and British brass bands.

The Joel Rubin ensemble's newest album "Midnight Prayer" will be available on the Traditional Crossroads label in January 2007.

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Healing Through the Psalms (December 23 - December 29)

The experience of pain involves the body, the mind, the spirit and our relationship to community. Kristen Swenson (Virginia Commonwealth University) discusses how the book of Psalms may be a timeless resource in helping us cope with pain in the modern world.

Also: English professor Martha Cook (Longwood University) examines the literature and legacy of John Dos Passos,one of the greatest—and most often ignored—American writers of the 20 th century. Each year Longwood University awards the prestigious Dos Passos Prize for Literature.

Re: Joyce (December 30 - January 5)

James Joyce’s masterpiece, Ulysses, follows its main character, Leopold Bloom around Dublin during the course of one day. Every June, fans around the world gather for “Bloomsday” to celebrate the works of Joyce. Jolanta Wawrzycka (Radford University) speaks about the life of Joyce, his writings,and her experiences attending “Bloomsday” celebrations.

Also: Irish author, poet and broadcaster Theo Dorgan discusses the joys and challenges of reading Ireland’s greatest literary son.

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