Weekly Program Highlights

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Friday 04/19

1:30 – 2:00 PM
Making Contact… Dive into the history of Point Reyes National Seashore, an area in Northern California known for rugged, sweeping beaches and tule elk. Learn about the history of this land and the waves of colonization that upended the lives of the Coast Miwok peoples who lived there – and one Indigenous woman's struggle to preserve her family history.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Hidden Brain… We've all had those days when all we want is a little treat. Maybe it's a bag of chips, an ice cream sundae or a glass of wine. But sometimes, these desires become all-consuming. Psychiatrist Judson Brewer helps us understand the science of cravings and how we should respond to them.

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Fresh Air… Join hosts in tributes to late journalist Robert MacNeil and late filmmaker Eleanor Coppola. Robert MacNeil is known for coverage of historical events, from the Cuban missile crisis to the fall of the Berlin wall to the Watergate scandal. Eleanor Coppola is credited for her role in assisting on the iconic film, Apocalypse Now.

6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… Literature and Art: Early jazz had a huge influence on the arts around the world. The works of Langston Hughes and F. Scott Fitzgerald immediately come to mind, while visual artists channeled influences into their paintings and sculptures.

Saturday 04/20

10:00 – 11:00 AM
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!… Join the crew of this irreverent weekly news quiz show as they travel to Chicago with a panel of guest judges, and philosopher Judith Butler pops in to talk about the meaning of everything and to play Not My Job.

11:00 – NOON
Radiolab… Hear two tales of the not-so-cute and cuddly clawing their way back from extinction. First, crabs that survive chaos, expand the possibilities of evolutionary destiny, and teach us something about how to live. Then, the mystery of a thousands years-old burial practice brought abruptly to a halt. And, the health of all the world’s ecosystems held in the wings of a vulture.

3:00 – 5:00 PM
American Routes… Join host Nick Spitzer as he spins some shellac and waxes nostalgic with the iconic cartoonist, musician and record collector Robert Crumb, who’ll share his love of musical times gone by. Then, hear from educator and vinyl aficionado Jerry Zolten about the story of Paramount Records, started by a furniture manufacturer, whose recorded legacy is now contained in two swank suitcases.

5:00 – 6:00 PM
The Thistle and Shamrock… Go on a journey to places of peace and belonging, and hear tunes from fiddler Duncan Chisholm inspired by a remote Scottish beach and from Karine Polwart's book, Wind Resistance.

Sunday 04/21

10:00 – 11:00 AM
Reveal… Hear the story of a mother, Blossom Old Bull, whose son, Braven Glenn, died in a fatal police chase on the Crow reservation in Montana. Blossom comes face to face with a person in authority and shares how the Montana police department’s sudden closure—and the utter lack of information about her son’s death—affected her family and the Crow reservation.

11:00 – NOON
This American Life… Hear stories of good ideas gone bad: a girl signs up for a class; a couple hires an accountant; and a group of co-workers decides to pool their money and buy a couple of lottery tickets. In the beginning, they're full of hope and optimism… and then, something turns.

NOON – 3:00 PM
Sunday Baroque… We think of recycling as something new, but it was a common practice even in the 18th century, at least for musicians. George Frideric Handel was just one of many composers who reused and recycled musical material, both his own and other composers’ work. In celebration of Earth Day, Sunday Baroque features some recycled music by Handel and others.

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Code Switch & Life Kit… Hear a story about Jewish Americans who have decided to take a stand against Israel and how that’s divided their families. Then, on Life Kit, learn how to take the perfect nap.

4:00 – 5:00 PM
The Moth Radio Hour… Hear stories of how we see ourselves, the perceptions of others, and the often-gaping chasm in between. Host Jay Allison addresses the struggle to prove oneself, challenge stereotypes, keep up appearances, and finally discover what really fits.

Monday 04/22

2:00 – 3:00 PM
The Splendid Table… Listen in as two renowned chefs push the boundaries of what we talk about when we talk about soul food. Hear from Carla Hall, host of the new show Chasing Flavor, and celebrated Atlanta chef Todd Richards, author of Roots, Heart, Soul: The Story, Celebration, and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America.

Tuesday 04/23

1:00 – 2:00 PM
TED Radio Hour… We’ve all had that moment when you go in for a hug but the other person sticks out their hand, or when your mom posts that awful photo of you at 12-years-old on social media, or EVERY appointment with your gynecologist. Life is full of awkward occasions and awkward people. Learn what we can do to get over ourselves and make peace with the most cringeworthy interactions in our lives.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
A Conversation with the Reluctant Therapist… Tune in for a conversation about the history of dating, the potential joys and pleasures associated with going out with someone, and the mental health concerns related to youth dating.

Wednesday 04/24

1:00 – 1:30 PM
Bioneers… Learn about a revolutionary polycultural farming model that has low upfront costs, is easily scalable, and can help mitigate climate change. Regenerative ocean farming aims to redesign the food economy by moving away from destructive, profit-driven practices and agribusiness monopolies and in favor of democratizing the food economy.

1:30 – 2:00 PM
California Report Magazine… Host Sasha Khokha tells the story of a Cambodian refugee who grew up in Long Beach and found community in a neighborhood gang that would eventually cost him the place he called home.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Freakonomics Radio… Are we living through the most revolutionary period in history? Fareed Zakaria says yes, but it’s not just a political revolution — it’s economic, technological, even emotional. He doesn’t offer easy solutions, but he does offer some hope.

6:30 – 8:00 PM
KCBX in Concert… Host Craig Russell features the enchanting and often thrilling music that will be performed by the Santa Maria Philharmonic this coming Saturday, April 27, and by the SLO Symphony on the following Saturday, May 4. Beloved masterpieces by Tchaikovsky, Bartok, Saint-Saëns, and Copland will be coupled with two world premieres by our own local composers, Meredith Brammeier and Stefan Podell.

Thursday 04/25

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Central Coast Voices… Host Lata Murti speaks to friends and members of R.A.C.E. Matters SLO, which is screening films that spotlight the experiences of BIPOC communities at the 2024 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. Guests discuss the documentary Wrestled Away, featuring wrestling champion and local resident Lee Kemp, as well as a series of five shorts portraying the varied meanings of space in BIPOC lives.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Latino USA… Learn about a first-of-its-kind investigation that looks into how prolonged exposure to toxins affects workers who rebuild American cities after natural disasters.

Friday 4/26

6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… City Nightlife: Two major factors gave rise to the speakeasies in the 1920s: jazz and Prohibition. In turn, both played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of jazz during the Roaring Twenties.