Prime Time Radio - AARP

Part A:The Death of a King is a powerful portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final year on earth. Tavis Smiley, renowned and sometimes outspoken broadcaster, interviewed King’s inner circle including Harry Belafonte, Andrew Young, and Jesse Jackson to unshroud the life of the man behind the legend.Part B:With the iconic covers and book spines that have changed very little over the last seventy years, Little Golden Books have covered most, if not all, life situations. Longtime editor of the books has now translated those lessons as a fresh volume for adults, in Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book.  

Part A:It is considered to be the epitome of single-panel cartooning, The New Yorker cartoonists’ styles and personalities are widely varied. Richard Gehr gives an in-depth look at the personal stories of the magazine’s staff artists, their immense creativity, and some of their funniest cartoons in his book, “I only Read It for the Cartoons.”Part B:Over the length of his magnificent five-decade career, George Benson has performed for millions of people and has written some of the best jazz riffs in music. Benson tells the epic story of his life, music and career in his new autobiography. He also discusses many aspects of his music with host Mike Cuthbert.   

Part A:Nearly nine million older adults are food insecure and are faced with making decisions such as purchasing nutritional food or prescriptions. Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President of AARP Foundation and Jim Lutzweiler, Vice President of Hunger Impact Programs discuss the steps the organization is taking to feed those who are hungry now, while also developing long-term, sustainable solutions that address the root causes of hunger among those 50 and older.Part B:Flu and aging are related because the older you are, the greater is the potential danger from getting the flu. So much more dangerous, in fact, scientists have invented a stronger dose of the flu vaccine for older citizens. And in Judith Light’s case, aging is an issue because she recently turned 65 and that fact is the feature in a new Flu + You campaign. Judith Light has a lot of experience as a serious actress, winning two consecutive Tony Awards for her work in Other Desert Cities and in The Assembled Parties. She speaks about getting a flu shot early.

Part A:Truly confident in her own individuality, Betty Halbreich, has been helping others find at the very least, their own sartorial individuality, but usually much more. She works at one of the most famous stores in New York, Bergdorf Goodman, but doesn’t sell anything at all. Halbreich is the original personal shopper and tells her unique story with wit, wisdom, and searing honesty.Part B: As a native of Memphis, Elvis had always been a fixture in her life. Little did she know, one day, she would be a fixture and cornerstone in his. Her name is Ginger Alden, the last love and fiancée of Elvis Presley. Alden tells the story of her amazing whirlwind romance with “The King” in a very personal way.

Part A:Hunger is a problem often hiding in plain sight. And older adults who are hungry don't walk around asking for help or acknowledging that they need it: an understandable source of embarrassment. It's easy to underestimate the day-to-day struggles of those who are age 65 and over struggling to make ends meet and nutritionally feed themselves on a low income or social security. Government programs don't always adequately protect against problems as basic as hunger.Part B:Several older American from Washington DC discuss their struggles feeding themselves, getting medical care, and finding employment. The cost of living, rent, medication, and doctor’s bills, adds up fast and food is usually the first to get cut when money gets tight.  

Part A:Football may be America’s favorite sport currently. If it’s not, it may certainly be the most lucrative and possibly violent of sports for owners and players. The sport that fans used to enjoy for running, leaping, and catching, also encapsulated sportsmanship and teamwork. Now it's a multi-billion dollar industry that at the very least fosters a tolerance for violence, greed, and controversy. In his book, Against Football, fan and journalist Steve Almond takes a hard look at the sport he still loves, asking himself if he should still even watch.Part B:It was the early seventies amidst national domestic and international turmoil, some of the most famous fights in boxing’s history were fought by Frazier, Ali, and Foreman. They were three of the sport’s most complex, outspoken, and competitive fighters. And they fought each other more than five times in every combination vying for the highest title in the sport. Journalist, Richard Hoffer traces the personal and professional lives of these three contenders and what they meant to our national confidence.  

Part A:Not your grandmother’s menopause story, Sandra Tsing Loh chronicles the everyday perils of raising preteen daughters, surviving hormone changes, and going through the ups and downs of a career and a relationship.Part B:Talk show host and comedienne Sheryl Underwood is no stranger to real talk, and now she’s partnered with Kimberly-Clark’s Depend brand to share her personal experience with bladder leakage, after undergoing a hysterectomy.

Part A:AARP and the ABA are working together to prevent the financial abuse of older Americans through an extensive campaign to teach people how to spot a potential scam and what to do if they get caught in one. ABA president and former Governor Frank Keating explains his role in changing the way banks protect the financial security of older Americans, their families and their caregivers.Part B:In the early 70’s as the Beatles ended, Paul McCartney was left to face a new phase of life. He ensconced himself in his farmhouse with his wife Linda as he sank into depression. It may have seemed McCartney was adrift without sail or rudder, paralyzed and intimidated by his own fame and cut loose from the musical moorings of his former group. Author Tom Doyle explains that what appeared to be the sad finale of a glorious career was just the start of a remarkable second act.  

Part A:Growing up dirt poor in the hills of Tennessee, Dolly Parton relied on her dreams to sustain her. "It was a dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, it was a dream that filled me up when I was hungry, and it was a dream that took me out of the Smoky Mountains and put me on top of the world," she says. So it's fitting that the legendary country singer and composer of more than 3,000 songs has titled her latest book Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You. The 66-year-old Parton talks to host Mike Cuthbert about her long and successful career in music, TV and movies, and about the way her dreams continue to push her forward.Part B:More and more singles are going online to find romance, especially in the 50+ age group.  Nancy Davidoff Kelton and Ken Solin, two new dating experts for AARP, have plenty of advice for people looking for new relationships and find someone that is compatible. They suggest that once you find someone interesting online, get offline fast and start the dating process. Kelton and Solin also offer tips on writing the better profiles, great places for first dates, and dating mistakes to avoid. 

Part A:Since the early 1900’s the expected lifespan of the average American has nearly doubled. And the MIT AgeLab, part of the engineering division, was created in 1999 to translate new ideas and technologies into practical solutions to help improve people’s quality of life and make a better future for all. Joseph F. Coughlin, Ph.D., Director of the AgeLab, works with many businesses, governments and non-profits worldwide, to produce unique new products, technologies and services to reach this goal.Part B:The Watergate Scandal has left an ugly scar on American politics, and it has taken on new significance in light of the recent NSA surveillance revelations. Even forty years later, no one has pieced together the full story of Nixon’s involvement in Watergate. In The Nixon Defense, former White House Counsel John W. Dean draws on recorded conversations, previously secret information, and more than 150,000 documents to answer the question: What did President Nixon know and when did he know it?

Part A:Nelson Mandela is universally loved around the world due to the fact that he shared so much love and so much of himself with others. He forgave those that imprisoned him and persecuted in the name of the greater good, that is, peace. Zelda la Grange started as personal secretary to Mandela and grew into a friend for some twenty years. She served with him even in his retirement, if such it can be called. In the process she moved from a conservative, racist Boer farm girl to a sophisticated spokesperson for arguably the best-known and greatest political person in the world as her mindset was transformed. She tells her story in her memoir, Good Morning, Mr. Mandela.Part B:Although they did not know it themselves, when the Rolling Stones set out on their farewell tour in March 1971, it was the end of an era. They also did not know they would be performing for another forty years. For the Stones, nothing would ever be the same again. Robert Greenfield’s book, Ain’t it Time We Said Goodbye, is the story of innocence lost, especially for Jagger and Richards. Greenfield’s reveals his insights from his perspective as the only journalist allowed on this tour with them.

Part A:As Iran heats up as an issue again, it’s easy to look back at the CIA and hostage crisis and turmoil in the late 70’s and early 80’s and compare with the last time the US spent a lot of time there. George W. Cave was a station chief in Iran during the overthrow of Mossadegh through the establishment of Khomeini as the Supreme Leader in Iran. That single change in the government locked out the chances of democracy in Iran, perhaps forever, and has led to a succession of Supreme Leaders. Cave has most recently used the medium of fiction to revisit the 80s and focus on the arms-for-hostages deal that coincided with Ronald Reagan’s winning of the presidency.Part B:He was best-known as a newscaster, he ended his career on a well-known quiz show. Carl Kassell has been celebrated since his announced retirement recently but he really hung up his headphones only a few weeks ago with his last broadcast as official judge and scorekeeper of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” Kasell takes a look back at his start in radio, many highlights of his career, famous personalities he helped launch and what is next.

Part A:As Iran heats up as an issue again, it’s easy to look back at the CIA and hostage crisis and turmoil in the late 70’s and early 80’s and compare with the last time the US spent a lot of time there. George W. Cave was a station chief in Iran during the overthrow of Mossadegh through the establishment of Khomeini as the Supreme Leader in Iran. That single change in the government locked out the chances of democracy in Iran, perhaps forever, and has led to a succession of Supreme Leaders. Cave has most recently used the medium of fiction to revisit the 80s and focus on the arms-for-hostages deal that coincided with Ronald Reagan’s winning of the presidency.Part B:He was best-known as a newscaster, he ended his career on a well-known quiz show. Carl Kassell has been celebrated since his announced retirement recently but he really hung up his headphones only a few weeks ago with his last broadcast as official judge and scorekeeper of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” Kasell takes a look back at his start in radio, many highlights of his career, famous personalities he helped launch and what is next.

Part A:Every year, about 450,000 Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Each diagnosis creates a ripple effect, as millions of family members are thrown into a terribly sad, confusing and time-consuming situation. Filmmaker David Shenk believes the best resource, by far, is experienced Alzheimer’s families, caregivers who have already spent years learning to navigate this harrowing terrain. Shenk emphasizes that while no one is glossing over the difficulty of the disease, he did ask the filmmakers to focus on solutions, tools and strategies families employ to carve out a comfortable and meaningful life in a new series of short films.Part B:For 22 years, Katherine Bouton had a secret that grew harder to keep every day. Bouton, an editor at the New York Times, couldn't hear what her colleagues were saying at daily editorial meetings. She had gone profoundly deaf in her left ear; her right was getting worse. In her book Shouting Won't Help, Bouton explores "Why I — and 50 Million Other Americans — Can't Hear You." AARP Radio host Mike Cuthbert talks to the author, who describes herself as "the kind of person who might have used an ear trumpet in the 19th century."

This special introduces listeners to the stories and sounds of four older Southern bluesmen—and to the efforts of Tim Duffy, founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, to help lift these musicians from poverty and obscurity.Truckin' My Blues Away.The musicians cover a wide swath of the South: Boo Hanks from Virgilina, Va.; Captain Luke from Winston-Salem, N.C.; Eddie Tigner from Atlanta; and Little Freddie King from New Orleans. In their own words and performances, these men bring us the story of a music, an era and a culture that are uniquely American.