Commentator Gerald Early remembers one of the most amazing events in professional boxing's history: when Mohammed Ali knocked out former champion Sonny Liston.
Journalist Osha Gray Davidson. His book Under Fire: The NRA and The Battle For Gun Control is now available in paperback. He talks about the recent NRA convention and what it says about the direction of the group.
Television critic David Bianculli gives his take on the dismissal of Connie Chung as the co-anchor of the CBS Evening News, and the role of the sole remaining host, Dan Rather.
Executive Director of the Institute for Legislative Action, the NRA's Lobbying Arm, Tanya Metaksa. She responds to criticism of the letter sent to NRA members calling federal agents "jackbooted Government thugs." Metaksa denies that the group has any association with paramilitary groups. The organization has suffered image problems since the Oklahoma City Bombing. The group recently ended their national convention.
This nationally acclaimed comedian has recently released his book Pryor Convictions and Other Life Sentences. Pryor's memoir takes readers on a journey through his successful yet struggle-filled life. A strong man who has overcome such ordeals as a drug addiction, self immolation, and six marriages, Pryor is determined to overcome his most recent battle with multiple sclerosis.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews The First Recordings of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, on the BSO classic label. It features conductor Karl Muck.
Dickey is the author of the report What Every Policy Maker Should Know About Imprisonment and the Crime Rate. Professor Dickey of the University of Wisconsin Law School, has a new way of viewing crime in our society. Based on his recent report issued by the Campaign for an Effective Crime Policy, he and officials have concluded that incarceration has little effect on crime rates. They believe that there are number of factors which limit the impact of prison on crime.
Francis has worked on the AIDS epidemic since 1981, and is currently working on developing a vaccine. He was portrayed by Matthew Modine in "The Band Played On" and was a consultant on "Outbreak." He's worked for the Centers for Disease Control, and has researched Ebola outbreaks in Africa.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews How 'Natives' Think, by Marshall Sahlins. It revisits the controversy surrounding anthropological analyses of James Cook's murder in Hawaii.
Salle's new movie "Search and Destroy" is an adaptation of the Howard Korder play. The film stars Griffin Dunne, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, John Turturro, and Rosanna Arquette. The executive producer is Martin Scorsese. Salle's work as an artist prompted this quote by the New York Times, "one of the most thoughtful, gifted, and curious artists of his generation."
Stahl has a new memoir called Permanent Midnight. He was a successful journalist, a scriptwriter for cult film classics like "Cafe Flesh," and "Dr. Caligari," who went on to write for the hit TV shows "Moonlighting," "ALF" and "thirtysomething." Stahl was also a junkie. He writes,"You might say that success ruined me. You might say I ruined success."
Broderick is making his singing and dancing debut in the revival of the Frank Loesser musical. He plays J. Pierrepont Finch, an ambitious window washer who climbs the corporate ladder by "fawning, brown-nosing, sucking up and a touch of backstabbing." Broderick is best known for his acting, in such movies as "Torch Song Trilogy," "War Games," and "The Freshman."
Keneally is best known for his novel, Schindler's List which was put to film, by director Stephen Spielberg. His new novel, A River Town, is based on the story of his grandfather who left Ireland for Australia at the turn of the century. But in Australia he became the outsider. Keneally has written over 20 novels. He is a Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine.
Former president of the public affairs non-partisan lobbying group Common Cause, Fred Wertheimer. As president of the organization, Wertheimer led the charge for campaign finance reform, the banning of special-interest honoraria for members of Congress, and a lobby disclosure law. Wertheimer stepped down earlier this year after 14 years as President. He's been called "the capital's most vocal crusader for reforming the political system" by The Wall Street Journal.
Banks' new novel is Rule of the Bone. It's been compared to Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because of it's young first-person narrator, and use of comedy to convey grim realities. Bank's narrator is 14 year-old Chappie from upstate New York who wears a nose ring and Mohawk. He steals from his parents to pay for dope, is kicked out of the house, and sets off on a low-life adventure.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Crimson Tide," the new submarine movie starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. Schiff says he wonders why other critics haven't praised the movie for its intelligence.
We'll hear from Iqbal Riza, Assistant Secretary of General for Peace Keeping Operations for the United Nations. He talks about the UN's role in Rwanda.
