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Dispelling the "Myth of the Welfare Queen"

Foreign editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, David Zucchino. In his new book "Myth of the Welfare Queen," he turns his attention to his own town, Philadelphia, where he follows the lives of two welfare mothers, Odessa Williams and Cheri Honkala. One reviewer writes, "David Zucchino has shattered unequivocally the stereotype of women receiving welfare."

21:30
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Other segments from the episode on March 19, 1997

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, March 19, 1997: Interview with David Zucchino; Commentary on slang; Interview with John Gregory Dunne; Review of U2's album "Pop."
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04:38

American Slang Goes Back Further than You Might Think

Linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on the history of slang, and refers to two books about it: Johnathan Lighter's Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang (1994) and "Flappers 2 Rappers" by Tom Dalzell (1997).

Commentary
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13:50

A Screenwriter Bends to the Will of Movie Producers

Screenwriter John Gregory Dunne. He and his wife, writer Joan Didion, have been working in film for 25 years. Their latest project was the screenplay for "Up Close and Personal" the movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford, based very losely on the Jessica Savitch story. In Dunne's new book "Monster: Living off the Big Screen" (Random House) he chronicles their eight year odyssey with the project.

Interview
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05:33

U2 Flirts with Selling Out

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Pop" (Island Records) the newest release by the Irish rock band "U2", their first in four years. It incorporates a lot of techno elements and other contemporary influences.

Review

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09:48

Syria's Growing Role in the International Drug Trade

We talk about United States' newest Middle East ally's involvement in the international drug trade with Philadelphia Inquirer reporter David Zucchino. Zucchino covers the drug war for the paper, and has spent two years in the Middle East. He also won a Pulitzer for his coverage of South Africa.

Interview

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08:07

Everyone expected more from the evening 'Invite,' audience included

In the new comedy "The Invite," Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde play a San Francisco couple who spend an evening getting to know their upstairs neighbors, played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. It's Wilde's third directorial effort after her earlier films, "Booksmart," and "Don't Worry Darling." "The Invite" opens in theaters this week. Our film critic Justin Chang has this review.

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