Before and since Keith Powell's breakthrough role on as Toofer on the sitcom "30 Rock," he has been forced to confront Hollywood's problem with black male voices. In this interview, he tells us how he works within an industry that desperately needs more diverse voices but doesn't truly want them.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
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In the late 80's, American jazz great Charlie Haden met a young Cuban pianist – Gonzalo Rubalcaba. They hit it off, and Haden became a kind of mentor figure to Rubalcaba… who went on to become major figure in jazz. Charlie Haden died two years ago, but shortly before that, he dug out some old recordings of two concerts he played with Rubalcaba, in Japan. The album's now been released – it's called "Tokyo Adagio." Steve Paulson's been listening to it a lot and he got in touch with Rubalcaba to talk about it.
Geraldine Brooks has written a novel which creates a fictional history for a real book – the remarkable, rare, illuminated Jewish manuscript known as the Sarajevo Haggadah.
In his book, City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age, P.D. Smith writes that city living has shaped humanity's past and laid the foundation for our future.
Gay Talese writes literary journalism. He's a master of in-depth profiles, telling his story through detailed scenes.
Poet MK Asante recounts his tough childhood in Philadelphia and the sad story of his beloved older brother, and also how the rhythms of hip hop evoke the sensibility of his generation.
Gordon Grice is an English professor and a life-long insect hobbyist. He tells Steve Palson about the praying mantis.
Harvey Kaye talks with Steve Paulson about visionary founding father Thomas Paine.
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