All Of It with Alison Stewart

This week, guests discuss the best places to get NYC favorites. Today, food critics, Robert Sietsema and Melissa McCart, discuss their favorite burgers in the city and listeners call in with their favorite spots to get a burger.

In the summertime, millions of teenagers nail down a summer job, some more random, boring, odd, and mundane than others. As we are in the thick of summer, All Of It producers Kate Hinds, Jordan Lauf and Zach Gottehrer-Cohen reflect on the summer jobs of their past, and listeners share their summer job stories and how they were shaped by the experience.

[REBROADCAST FROM Jan. 11, 2023] To honor the life of the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner, we present part of his conversation about his Grammy-nominated spoken-word album, Hiding In Plain View. The poet, musician and beloved 'Cosby Show' actor died on Monday, July 21, 2025.

The latest novel from author Gary Shteyngart is told from the perspective of Vera, a kid who wants to keep her parents from splitting up, and to figure out where her birth mother has gone. It's titled Vera, or Faith, and the book is out now.

New York Magazine's Matthew Schneier & Tammie Teclemariam break down the best bites of the year so far. Whether you're hungry for a new dining spot or curious about where to find the Big Apple's best onion rings, these professional NYC foodies will share their expert recommendations.

There is so much scientists and doctors still don't know about why humans get chronic headaches, and the best way to treat them. Author and science journalist Tom Zeller Jr. discusses his new book, The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction―and a Search for Relief. Listeners call in to share their own experiences with headaches.

Actors Lorna Courtney and Casey Likes star in the new off-Broadway revival of "Heathers: The Musical," based on the 1988 teen crime comedy film. They'll talk about the show, the film it's based on, and why the musical is ripe for revival.

UK soul legend Omar’s latest album, Brighter The Days, features collaborations with India Arie, Giggs, and more. He joins us for a Listening Party and to reflect on his career.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, the start-studded benefit concert aimed to help raise money to assist with the famine in Ethiopia. Director Thomas Pollard discusses his new four-part docuseries "Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World," which premiered on CNN on July 13.

The new thriller '40 Acres' follows an African-American and Indigenous-American blended family tending to and protecting their farm in Canada after a post-apocalyptic event has wiped out all livestock and caused society to crumble. Star Danielle Deadwyler and writer-director R.T. Thorne discuss the film and its themes.

This summer, we will feature a guide for what to do in all five boroughs. Today Rossilynne Culgan, the 'Things To Do' editor at Time Out New York, talks about her favorite summer attractions from around Manhattan. Plus, listeners share their favorite summer spots and upcoming events.

Latin Grammy-award winning Brazilian artist Liniker is town this week for her free show at Lincoln Center on July 18. Ahead of the concert, she performs live in our studio, discusses her latest album, CAJU, and reflects on what it meant to her to be the first transgender woman to ever win a Latin Grammy.

The new two-part documentary "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" provides an in-depth look into the life and career of Long Island's beloved piano man. Co-director Susan Lacy discusses the project, which premieres episode one Friday evening on HBO and HBO Max. Listeners weigh in with their favorite Billy Joel memories and performances.

Steve Nieve is the longtime keyboard player for Elvis Costello and his various bands. He discusses his career and relationship with Costello, and previews a string of summer concerts in our area this summer, performing alongside singer and percussionist Kessada.

This summer, we will feature a guide for what to do in all five boroughs. Today Pamela Silvestri, food editor at the Staten Island Advance, talks about her favorite summer attractions from around the borough. Plus, listeners share their favorite summer spots on Staten Island.

Groundbreaking fashion designer Virgil Abloh became the first Black American artistic director of a luxury French fashion house when he became the artistic director of the menswear ready-to-wear collection for Louis Vuitton. He died in 2021 at the age of 41. Biographer Robin Givhan discusses her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh.

This summer, we will feature a guide for what to do in all five boroughs. Today John Major, author of the book 111 Places in Brooklyn That You Must Not Miss, talks about his favorite summer attractions from around the borough. Plus, listeners share their favorite summer spots in Queens.

Have more zucchini from the garden than you know what to do with? Melissa Clark, New York Times food reporter and recipe columnist, gives tips on how to get the best out of the abundance of summer produce the kitchen, and listeners share their ideas and questions.

"ta-da!" is a new off-Broadway production, featuring collection of stories and jokes presented in 80 minutes with 2,000 power point slides presented. Hear about it from performer Josh Sharp, who leads the show, and director Sam Pinkleton of "Oh, Mary!"

[REBROADCAST FROM Nov. 12, 2024] The acclaimed new HBO series "The Penguin" earned 24 Emmy nominations in this year's awards. Actor Cristin Milioti, who has now been Emmy-nominated for her role as Sofia, a member of the Falcone crime family, joined us for a Watch Party to discuss the final episode.

Harpist Brandee Younger returns to All Of It to perform live, and discuss her third album, Gadabout Season, featuring original compositions and Younger's playing with Alice Coltrane's restored harp.

Mark Kurlansky is a James Beard Award-winning writer whose books span fiction and non-fiction but share food-related subjects, with titles like Salt, Milk, and Salmon. He'll talk about his latest novel Cheesecake, which takes place entirely on the Upper West Side, and follows a Greek coffee shop facing rent increases that adds an ancient Roman recipe to its menu. Acclaim, imitators, and competition follow.

Our Summer in the City series continues, spotlighting great things to do in each borough. Today a look at opportunities for summer fun in the Bronx. ET Rodriguez, local journalist and NYC tour guide, shares her picks for the best things to check out in the Bronx, and we take calls from listeners.

New York and New Jersey are some of the states who have profited the most from legalized sports gambling. But at what cost to residents, and to the sports they love? Journalist Danny Funt, author of the forthcoming book Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling, speaks about how sports betting has changed the culture of fandom, and altered the experience of professional athletes.

This summer, we will feature a guide for what to do in all five boroughs. Today Rob MacKay of the Queens Tourism Council kicks off the series with the top attractions the World's Borough has to offer this season. Plus, listeners share their favorite summer spots in Queens.

The Center for Photography at Woodstock calls Larry Fink (1941-2023) "one of the last great humanist photographers." CPW has organized an exhibition of Fink's photographs, which depict his immersion in New York’s Beat scene, the Civil Rights movement, and Manhattan nightlife. "Larry Fink: Sensual Empathy," is on view at CPW in Kingston, New York through August 31. Curator Lucy Sante and CPW executive director Brian Wallis discuss the show and the importance of Fink's photographs.

C-sections are among the most commonly performed surgeries in the world. But despite interventions aimed at numbing the pain of the procedure, many women can still feel the painful surgical process while it's taking place. In the second season of the New York Times podcast "The Retrievals," Susan Burton tells the stories of some women who have been through this horrific experience, tries to understand why anesthesia sometimes fails, and explores approaches to solving this problem.

The Hollywood Ten was a group of screenwriters and directors who were jailed in 1947 for refusing to answer questions about their beliefs and associations during a hearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Their story is told in a new exhibit at New York Historical, titled "Blacklisted: An American Story." It explores the intersection of politics, art, culture and social dynamics during Hollywood's red scare. The exhibit also looks at Broadway and New York's theater community also responded. Curator Anne Lessy joins us to discuss.

The New York Times is spending the summer ranking 100 of the best movies of the 21st century so far, based around the voting of over 500 directors, actors and producers in Hollywood. Kyle Buchanan, New York Times pop culture reporter and awards season columnist, discusses the list, his favorite 21st century movies, and listeners share their picks.More Info:100 Best Movies of the 21st CenturyHow Actors and Directors VotedReaders Topp 100 picksThe QuizLooking for a great movie to watch?Cast Your Vote / Make Your Ballot

[REBROADCAST FROM May 20, 2025] The new novel The Doorman follows Chicky Diaz, the titular character working at a high end Manhattan building who becomes ensnared in the web of secrets his residents try to keep. Author Chris Pavone discusses his new thriller.

Dan Medley is a contractor and the founder of Team Handy Dan. He also teaches people the basics of home repair. He offers tips from how to build a home toolbox to how to assess when you can do a job yourself, and when to call a professional.

Jennifer Senior used to have no trouble sleeping. Until she did. In her new article for The Atlantic, called "Why Can’t Americans Sleep? Insomnia has become a public-health emergency," she looks at how insomnia is now tenacious and pervasive. She joins us to discuss her reporting, and talk about how America is actually making its sleep crisis worse.

July 10 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Scopes Trial, which centered on the ability to teach the theory of evolution in public schools. We reflect on the legacy of this monumental case and its relevance today, with Brenda Wineapple, author of the book Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation.

We continue our week of beach reads with a debut novel from Katie Yee, called Maggie: Or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar. The story follows a woman who finds out her husband has been having an affair with a woman named Maggie... and that she has also been diagnosed with cancer. Yee discusses the novel, which is out on July 22, and will be speaking on 'pub day' at Yu and Me Bookstore at the NYPL Chatham Square Branch, and on July 24 with Books Are Magic at the Melissa Joy Manning Jewelry Store.

Jonathan Adler's 30 year career is being celebrated at the Museum of Art & Design in a show titled "The Mad, MAD World of Jonathan Adler," which looks at his ceramic work over the past 30 years.

Bestselling author Jennifer Weiner's latest novel The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits follows sisters Zoe and Cassie as they skyrocket to early‑2000s pop stardom, only for a tragedy to end their meteoric rise and shatter their bond. Years later, after going their separate ways, Zoe's teenage daughter tries to engineer a reunion. Weiner talks about her new book.

In the 80s and 90s, New York City's skateboarding scene was wild and gritty, and seemingly unable to be commercialized. And then the streetwear brand Supreme came along. Director Josh Swade discusses the new 30 for 30 documentary “Empire Skate,” which tells the story of 1990s New York City skate culture that inspired a global brand.

The Zombies were core to the British Invasion of the 1960s, with songs like She's Not There, and Time of the Season. "Hung Up On A Dream: The Zombies Documentary" explores how the English teenagers became Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Lead singer Colin Blunstone discusses the group's story, and takes listener calls, along with the film's director Robert Schwartzman. On Wednesday evening at Gramercy Theatre, there will be a screening of the film followed by Q&A and unplugged performance with Blunstone and Schwartzman's band, Rooney.

Duke is an international hip hop star who is visiting US troops in Kabul. Roya is his interpreter. In the new play set against a war-torn Afghanistan in 2016, can their chemistry matter more than their differences? Stars Jay Ellis and Stephanie Nur discuss the new play 'Duke & Roya', alongside director Warren Adams.

Before Kate Spade’s tragic death, she and Frances Valentine co-founder Elyce Arons had been best friends for 37 years. Arons reflects on their bond in her new memoir, titled We Might Just Make It After All, and shares memories of their decades-long friendship.

A mystical adventure awaits Gwendolyn Montgomery, an NYC power publicist, who finds herself caught in web of murder. Clarence Haynes discusses his book The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery, which has been described as "a fresh, authentic voice in urban fantasy and horror."

When it’s too hot to cook, easy, no-oven recipes can be a lifesaver. New York Times associate editor Margaux Laskey recently published a list of "100 Easy Summer Recipes for Right Now." She talks about her favorites, and listeners share their go-to hot-weather meals.

ADHD diagnoses are soaring. For some kids, it's a lifesaver. But recent research about ADHD shows that it might be more of a mismatch between your brain and your current circumstance -- and that labeling kids with ADHD has some downsides. In his recent article for the New York Times Magazine, Paul Tough asks "Have We Been Thinking About ADHD All Wrong?" He discusses his reporting, and listeners call in to share their experiences with ADHD diagnoses.

You may know Laura Lippman for her Tess Monaghan series of mysteries. In her latest novel, Murder Takes a Vacation, we meet Muriel Blossom, who once worked with Tess. Now retired and widowed, she takes her first trip to Europe, which promptly goes awry. Lippman discusses her new work, which The New York Times calls "a rollicking adventure of the highest order."

Our second Summer Reading Challenge is underway! This week, All Of It producer Jordan Lauf discusses some beach reads that could fit in the five Summer Reading Challenge categories. Listeners weigh in with their recommendations. Click here to sign up for the Challenge!

We are previewing the sights and sounds of summer. We've talked about movies, music, and podcasts. Now Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk joins us to talk about some of the season's most anticipated TV shows, from a new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to Love Island USA. Plus listeners share what they excited to be watching this season.

This summer, you can see the largest New York exhibition ever put together about local post-war photographer Diane Arbus. For "Diane Arbus: Constellation," Park Avenue Armory has amassed more than 450 Arbus photographs. Curator Matthieu Humery and photographer Neil Selkirk, a former student of Arbus and the only person allowed to make prints from her negatives, talk about the exhibition, on view through August 17.

For this month's installment of Full Bio, we learn about the life of Senator Charles Sumner with Zaakir Tameez, author of the new biography, Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation. Sumner was a fierce abolitionist and statesman from Massachusetts who was a pivotal advisor to President Lincoln and an influential force during the Civil War. You can listen to all three parts of our series in full.Charles Sumner, Part 1: Sumner's upbringing in a diverse neighborhood in Boston, and how that experience led him to become an abolitionist.Charles Sumner, Part 2: Sumner's experiences as a statesman during the Civil War, the caning incident, and questions about his sexuality.Charles Sumner, Part 3: Sumner's relationship with the Lincolns, and life after the Civil War.

Today for the Fourth of July, we learn about the life of Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist born into slavery who famously asked, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"We present our Full Bio conversation with Yale historian David Blight, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom.Frederick Douglass, Part 1: Douglass’s early life as an enslaved person and how he learned to readFrederick Douglass, Part 2: How Douglass escaped slavery and fled to the NorthFrederick Douglass, Part 3: How Douglass's views on slavery evolved in the 1830’s and 1840’sFrederick Douglass, Part 4: Douglass’s first wife, Anna, their five children (four of whom lived to adulthood), and his long and turbulent friendship with German feminist and abolitionist Otillie AssingFrederick Douglass, Part 5: His allegiance to the Republican Party, including his working relationship with Abraham Lincoln, and why Andrew Johnson was so dismissive of DouglassFrederick Douglass, Part 6: The reaction to Frederick Douglass’s death in February of 1895 as well as why Douglass’s second marriage to a woman named Helen Pitts became one of the biggest scandals in 19th century America

[REBROADCAST FROM April 14, 2025] Curator Aimee Ng discusses the reopening and renovations of the venerable Frick Collection, including what exhibits to check out.