All Of It with Alison Stewart

In her new book, The Atlantic writer Sophie Gilbert argues that early 2000s pop culture presented toxic views of women, and was a backlash regression from the progress made in the 1990s. She discusses the book, titled Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves. Plus, listeners share their thoughts on how early 2000s culture shaped them. Gilbert will be speaking at the 92Y on April 30 at 7:30 pm.

One hundred years ago today, an international exhibition opened in Paris called, "“L’Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs.” 16 million people attended the months long show, and the exhibition is credited with launching the famous Art Deco architectural movement that now defines the New York City skyline. Francis Morrone, architectural historian and NYU adjunct instructor, dives deeper into the history of New York Art Deco and listeners share their favorite local Art Deco building.

Musical theater legend Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has seen a resurgence of his work, as creative teams both in New York and London have worked on high profile revivals of his work. Webber discusses the Broadway revival of "Sunset Boulevard," "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," the recently announced "Evita" revival, and his collaboration with director Jamie Lloyd. Plus, listeners call in with their questions about his prolific career.

Listeners call in to share what they'll be getting up to this weekend.

New York may be known as a concrete jungle, but it's also a fish spawning ground, a migratory bird rest stop, and home to all kinds of life, including flora, fauna and whatever category “dog vomit slime mold” fits into. In their new book Wild NYC: Experience the Amazing Nature in and Around New York City, naturalist and science writer Ryan Mandelbaum profiles some of the species with whom we share our urban environment. The book also describes the city's natural history, and includes suggestions for day trips and excursions that can bring you closer to nature here in the five boroughs.

Vulture critic Nick Quah talks about the most exciting TV shows airing this season, including “Black Mirror,” “The Last of Us,” and “Andor.” Plus, listeners call in about the shows you’re watching this season.

Our series of Poetry Month conversations continues with Robin Walter, whose debut collection Little Mercy was awarded the 2024 Academy of American Poets' First Book Award.

Lately, studies have show that rates of cancer are rising among young people, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. But what is behind this rise? We speak with journalist Jamie Ducharme, who wrote a piece titled “The Race to Explain Why More Young Adults Are Getting Cancer” for Time Magazine. Plus Dr. Trisha Pasricha, who writes the Ask the Doctor column for the Washington Post, discusses this story from a doctor's perspective. Plus, listeners share their own experience with cancer at a young age.

Uwade gained a widespread notoriety when Fleet Foxes featured her on their 2020 album Shore. Now she's set to release her debut album Florilegium. The singer-songwriter, who is also currently pursuing a PhD at Stanford, joins us to perform live in studio five.

A new novel, written by a former Hollywood agent, tells the story of three women who rise to the top of the entertainment business in the 1980s. Author Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas talks about Climbing in Heels, which has been optioned for TV.

Morocco's Bab L'Bluz fuses traditional Gnawa with rock and psychadelia. Spin Magazine says their latest album, Swaken, defies the "limits of style and space-time." We catch them in the middle of a U.S. tour and they perform live in our studio.

In the past month, President Donald Trump extended the TikTok ban deadline, Elon Musk sold X (formerly Twitter) to his company xAI, and AI has become a fixture on nearly every major social network. Clare Duffy, a CNN tech writer and host of CNN Audio’s “Terms of Service with Clare Duffy” explains what it all means, and listeners call in with their questions.

These days, photographer Dona Ann McAdams lives on a goat farm in Vermont. But a new exhibit of her work incorporates five decades of her photography from around the world. "Dona Ann McAdams: 'Black | Box'" is on view at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery through June 7. She discusses her practice, explains how her childhood growing up in Ronkonkoma on Long Island informed her interest in photography, and shares stories from her adventures in California and New York, including her gig as the longtime staff photographer of Performance Space 122. Dona will be at Park Avenue Armory on Friday April 25 at 3 pm for a photography show event, and will also be in conversation with poet Eileen Myles at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery on Thursday May 15 at 6:30 pm.

[REBROADCAST FROM Dec. 11, 2024] The lead singer of the hit band MUNA, Katie Gavin has struck out on her own to make her debut solo album, What a Relief. We present her live performances from WNYC's performance studio ahead of her shows this week at Radio City Music Hall and Market Hotel.

The new play "Becoming Eve" is based on the memoir of the same name from Rabbi Abby Chava Stein. It explores her journey from growing up in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community to coming out as a trans woman. The play stars Tommy Dorfman as Stein. Stein and Dorfman discuss "Becoming Eve," which is running at the New York Theater Workshop through April 27.

Icebox desserts are no-bake or low-bake desserts that assemble quickly and set in the refrigerator. Plus they have a unique history dating to when Americans were modernizing their kitchens and embracing electricity. Bobbie Lloyd is the CEO and chief baking officer at Magnolia Bakery. She joins us to talk about some of the recipes in the new cookbook The Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts: Classic and Creative Icebox Desserts with a Magnolia Bakery Twist. She’ll also share how to adapt them, and field listener's calls and questions.Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana PuddingBanana pudding has been around since the late 1800s, when faster steam ships meant bananas could make their way to US ports. It was first made with sponge cake, but by the 1920s, cake was replaced with vanilla wafers. For this recipe, I use Nabisco Nilla wafers and strongly recommend you don’t make any substitutions to ensure you get the same crave-worthy texture of this iconic dessert.MAKES 4 to 5 quarts; serves up to 16INGREDIENTSPART ONE1 (3.4oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix, preferably Jell-O1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk1 ¼ cups (300g/10.6oz) ice-cold waterPART TWO3 cups (720g/24oz) heavy creamASSEMBLY1 (11oz) box Nilla wafers4 large or 6 small bananas, slicedINSTRUCTIONSMAKE PART ONE: Place the pudding mix into a 4-quart bowl and set aside.In a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and water until smooth.Slowly pour the liquid into the bowl with the pudding mix while whisking constantly until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. The pudding can be made ahead up to 24 hours. MAKE PART TWO: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the heavy cream on medium speed for 1 minute, until the cream starts to thicken, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip.With the mixer running on low speed, add the pudding mixture a spoonful at a time. Mix until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. TO ASSEMBLE: Select either a trifle bowl, a 9 × 13-inch pan, a wide glass bowl with a 4- to 5-quart capacity, or individual bowls.If using a trifle bowl, spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom of the bowl, then layer with one-third of the cookies and enough banana slices to cover the cookie layer. Repeat the layering twice more. End with a final layer of pudding. Garnish the top with additional vanilla wafer cookies or cookie crumbs.Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. The cookies should be tender when poked with a knife. This dessert is best served within 12 hours of assembling.From The Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts by Bobbie Lloyd. Copyright © 2025 by Magnolia Intellectual Property, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

A new exhibition at the Queens Museum marks 60 years since the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair, and explores its cultural and political legacy. Assistant Director of Archives and Collections Lynn Maliszewski, discusses the new show “A Billion Dollar Dream: The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair on its 60th Anniversary,” on view through July 13.

Josh Rogosin is the engineer responsible for shaping the sound of NPR's “Tiny Desk.” Now, he runs “Global Sound Concerts,” a music series which travels the world, producing videos in the cities and locations that matter to artists. He's also a judge for WNYC's Public Song Project (which you too can join through April 28). Tonight, he'll be at the New York Public Library’s Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library to lead a free masterclass on recording and mixing. Jenna Li, program manager for NYPL's Studio 40 and Technology Training, also joins us to talk about the the NYPL's recording resources for local musicians.

Paste Magazine calls Valerie June "casually masterful, deceptively mellow." Her latest album Owls, Omens and Oracles is a celebration of joy and positivity in the face of adversity. June performs live in WNYC's studio five, and will play The Town Hall on May 6.

A house without color is a boring one. But it can be difficult and stressful to pick and match the right colors while also avoiding your living room turning into a kindergartner's art project. Laura Perryman, color consultant and author of the new book, The Rainbow Home: Over 200 Ideas and Tips for Adding Color to Your Home, shares strategies to incorporate more color into our interior design, and listeners share their thoughts and questions.

A new show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music explores what it means to be a powerful woman through the lens of Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Writer and performer Whitney White discusses her show "Macbeth in Stride," running now at BAM through April 27. Plus, White discusses directing the Broadway musical "The Last Five Years."

National Poetry Month continues with readings from former National Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, and listeners share their favorite poems.

Today is the opening of the Guggenheim's major survey of artist Rashid Johnson, who was born in Chicago in the late 1970s. "Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers," displays almost 90 pieces, including paintings, films, sculptures, and a site-specific installation at the top of the museum's rotunda. Johnson discusses his practice alongside Naomi Beckwith, Guggenheim deputy director and chief curator.

When his grandmother was dying, playwright Joshua Harmon secretly recorded the last conversation he ever had with her. Those recordings have inspired the new off-Broadway play, "We Had A World," starring Andrew Barth Feldman (Joshua), Joanna Gleason (Renee), and Jeanine Serralles (Ellen). Harmon, Feldman, and director Trip Cullman discuss their production, running at the New York City Center Stage II through May 11.

The latest issue of New York Magazine is dedicated to the legends of Broadway including Liza Minelli, Patty Lupone and Andre DeShields. We speak with NY Mag's Editor-in-Chief David Haskell as well as Mark Seliger, photographer who shot the cover subjects--who were photographed in their most famous costumes.

Samhita Mukhopadhyay, author of the book The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning, talks about reclaiming her identity after losing a job that defined her. Listeners call in and share their stories about rebounding after a job loss.

NYC native and indie rock artist Samia releases her new album, Bloodless, on April 25. She joins us for a special preview, and performs songs live in the studio.

A flavorful bite of a beloved family dish can bring us back to our childhoods. But food can help us experience an even farther past. Max Miller, host of the YouTube channel 'Tasting History,' and author of the cookbook Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes, hunts around historical primary sources for early versions of modern classics, or menus from different chapters of history, from the bean porridge served to competitors in the gladiatorial arena to the upscale menus offered to wealthy travelers on the Titanic or the Hindenburg. Miller talks about his research and why food can help us experience a taste of so many different lives from long ago. Plus, listeners ask about the histories of their favorite dishes and ingredients.

For almost two centuries, New York has used Ward's Island as a space to house its most marginalized residents. Philip T. Yanos, a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, grew up on the island in the 1970s on the grounds of the Manhattan State Hospital, where his dad worked as a psychiatrist. Yanos has written a new book, Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island, and he discusses his research and listeners who've visited or lived on Ward's Island share their stories.

Author Saratoga Schaefer discusses their latest novel, Serial Killer Support Group, about a woman who infiltrates a group for serial killers to avenge her sister's death.

A new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art explores the earliest days of photography and the daguerreotype. Curator Jeff Rosenheim discusses the new exhibition "The New Art: American Photography, 1839–1910," on view at the Met through July 20.

Death is one of the only sure things about life. Registered nurse and "end of life" specialist Suzanne O'Brien believes we can make that time better. Her book, The Good Death, offers guidance for how caregivers can help their loved ones. It also offers practical advice on how to have a 'good death' so that everyone can be involved.

Writer and director David Cronenberg's new film "The Shrouds" is partly inspired from the grief of losing his wife in recent years. The film follows a grieving businessman named Karsh who invents a way to connect with the dead. Cronenberg discusses, alongside actor Diane Kruger, who stars in the film. "The Shrouds" is in New York and Los Angeles theaters on Friday April 18 and nationwide April 25.

[REBROADCAST FROM December 9, 2024] Broadway star Megan Hilty joins us to discuss starring in the Broadway musical,"Death Becomes Her," an adaptation of the beloved Robert Zemeckis film. The show is running now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

[REBROADCAST FROM July 16, 2024] In Cole Escola's hit play "Oh, Mary!" they star as a deranged version of Mary Todd Lincoln, whose dream in life is to be a cabaret star. Mary's husband Abraham gets her acting lessons to keep her from bothering him, which sets off a chain of events which ultimately leads to his own assassination. Following a successful off-Broadway run, the show is now running at the Lyceum Theatre. Director Sam Pinkleton joins us to discuss the Broadway transfer, alongside actor Conrad Ricamora, who stars as Abraham Lincoln.

The cast and creative team from Broadway's "Hell's Kitchen" join us live in The Greene Space. Lead actors Jade Milan, Jessica Vosk, Tank, and Kecia Lewis perform the music of Alicia Keys. Music supervisor Adam Blackstone and music consultant Tom Kitt talk about orchestrating those songs for the Broadway stage. This is a free event, and part of our Listening Party Live series.

Curator Aimee Ng discusses the reopening and renovations of the venerable Frick Collection, including what exhibits to check out. The Frick opens to the public on April 17.

A new cookbook, All I Think About Is Food: A Vegetarian Cookbook That'll Keep the Party Going, provides suggestions for dinner party hosts looking to satisfy all of their guests' hunger needs. Author Mamrie Hart shares a few recipes from her debut cookbook, and listeners share some of their favorite vegetarian dishes.

James Beard award-winning Chef and LA icon Roy Choi is releasing his first cookbook in over a decade. The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life includes Roy's recipes that allow for you to still pursue those, let's say, glutinous cravings, while still maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Choi discusses the cookbook, his philosophy on home cooking, and reflects on the impact of Kogi BBQ, his popular fusion food truck.

The Emmy-winning Netflix series "Love on the Spectrum" is back for Season 3! The show follows different people with autism as they attempt to navigate the dating world and find love. The show's creators Cian O'Clery and Karina Holden discuss their approach to the series, and to autism representation. "Love on the Spectrum" is streaming now on Netflix.

With the first nights of Passover coming up this weekend, listeners might be thinking about what to cook for their Seder tables. Jake Cohen, the cookbook author behind Jew-ish, and I Could Nosh, shares his tips, tricks and recipes for Passover cooking. Plus, listeners call in with their secrets for spicing up their charoset, or making the most of matzoh brei for the bread-less week ahead.

It may be officially Spring, but the weather outside is still grey and dreary. Want to manifest some sunshine in your life? Try margaritas. Author Caroline Pardilla, digital content editor for Imbibe magazine, has written a new book, Margarita Time: 60+ Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails, Served Up, Over & Blended. She discusses her love of margs, and her tips for making them extra tasty. Plus, listeners share their favorite recipes.

For 40 years, the Whiting Awards have been discovering up-and-coming literary talent, and awarding them with substantial grants. Past recipients include Michael Cunningham, Jonathan Franzen, Hernan Diaz, Ocean Vuong, Michael R. Jackson, Mary Karr, and more. This week, the 40th Annual Whiting Awards handed out grants to a new class of writers. Courtney Hodell, director of literary programs with the Whiting Foundation, discusses her role overseeing the awards, and how the Foundation has become so adept at identifying emerging literary talent.

A new documentary explores the years leading up to John Lennon’s first and only full-length solo concert after The Beatles—a benefit show that raised $1.5 million for children abused at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island. Director Kevin MacDonald joins us to discuss the film, “One to One: John & Yoko” which opens in theaters today.

During the pandemic, Debbie Taylor-Kerman made a big decision. She decided to quit her settled career in the commercial art licensing industry to become a full-time artist. Her most recent work is the subject of a new exhibition at Heath Gallery, "More Love Now", on view through May 3. Taylor-Kerman discusses her story, including her childhood in Scotland to arriving to New York in 1991. She will be hosting an Artist Talk at Heath Gallery on April 12 from 2-4pm.

The new novel The Dream Hotel is the first work of speculative fiction from acclaimed author Laila Lalami. It follows a woman named Sarah, who is detained by members of the Risk Assessment Administration, which probes people’s dreams with Artificial Intelligence. They claim that Sarah’s dreams reveal that she is likely to harm her own husband, a man she loves dearly. The Dream Hotel is our April Get Lit with All Of It Book Club selection, and Laila Lalami discusses the novel in a preview conversation ahead of our May 6 event. To find out how to borrow your e-copy of the novel from the New York Public Library, and to snag your free tickets to our Get Lit event, click here.

Women with autism have been consistently undiagnosed and under-researched. Author Gina Rippon’s new book explores why, and how has this skewed our understanding of what autism is and how it presents. She’ll discuss Off the Spectrum: Why the Science of Autism Has Failed Women and Girls, and take calls from listeners on the subject.

[REBROADCAST FROM Feb 11, 2025] The Max medical drama "The Pitt" follows Dr. Robby Robinavitch and his hardworking staff working in a Pittsburgh emergency room. Tonight, the finale of Season 1 airs at 9 pm, with a second season on the way. Star and executive producer of "The Pitt," Noah Wyle, joins us to discuss playing Dr. Robby, and returning to a medical drama years after starring in "E.R."

Last week, country singer Orville Peck made his Broadway debut alongside two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada in “Cabaret” at The Kit Kat Club. Peck stars as the Emcee and Noblezada as Sally Bowles. The two discuss stepping into their roles in this Broadway revival through July.

New York-based artist Amy Sherald is best recognized for her famous portraits of First Lady Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. Today is the opening of “Amy Sherald: American Sublime,” the artist's first solo exhibition at a major New York museum. She discusses her practice, the stories of some of her most iconic portraits and the fifty paintings dating back to 2007 that comprise the exhibition, which is on view at the Whitney through August 10.