142. Robert King of the Angola
Three was in solitary confinement for almost 30 years. We talk to Robert about his early life, his imprisonment and activism in Angola,
and his life since his release. We start today's episode with a quote from a young Samuel Clemens about his first Mardi Gras.
- This week in Louisiana history. February 5, 1817. Jean
Lafitte died in battle off coast of Honduras.
- This week in New Orleans history. Born in New Orleans on February
6, 1944, Wilson Turbinton (known as Tee and Willie Tee)
arranged, co-wrote and led the band on the Wild Magnolias'
self-titled 1974 debut album. The popularity of that
recording, and the subsequent They Call Us Wild introduced the
Mardi Gras Indians' street-beat funk to the world.
- This week in Louisiana.
Alexandria Mardi Gras
February 7th, 2016
Downtown
707 Main Street, Alexandria, LA 71301
318-442-9546 | 800-551-9546
Website
Experience Mardi Gras family style! The weekend begins with a
Friday afternoon Classic Cars and College Cheerleaders
parade followed by the Taste of Mardi Gras. Saturday is the
Children's Parade, and Sunday is the Main Parade. Routes and
more information is available at www.alexmardigras.com.
Like us on Facebook.
141. Kristen Becker interview, part 2. For 15 years, Kristen has loved bringing her raucous
point-of-view comedy to audiences all over the continent.
Toronto’s Xtra! lauded her “brash and
personal humor.” As the winner of the Queen City Comedy
Competition, she took the largely male-dominated genre by storm.
A comedian who happens to also be an out lesbian, Becker
consistently wins the hearts of all audiences, straight and gay
alike, with her unapologetic humor. Her childhood, divided
between the Rust Belt and the Deep South, has left her uniquely
able to connect with all manner of people. She has been
part of comedy routines like Dykes of Hazard and Loosen the Bible
Belt, in which she teams up with Jay Bakker, son of Jim
and Tammy Faye Bakker. Quinn Warner joins us today as a guest host. Warning--today's episode has explicit language and content.
- This week in Louisiana history. January 30, 1704. Bienville
told that "Pelican" was on its way with 27 young girls, the
Casket Girls.
- This week in New Orleans history. January 30, 1980.
Professor Longhair died. He was born Henry
Roeland "Roy" Byrd on December 19, 1918, in
Bogalusa, Louisiana. He made a living as a street hustler
until he started to play piano seriously in his thirties. He
taught himself how to play on a piano with missing keys, so
his style became distinct. When he began his career in New
Orleans in 1948, Mike Tessitore bestowed Longhair with his
stage name (due to Byrd's shaggy coiffure). Longhair first
recorded in 1949, creating four songs (including the first
version of his signature song, "Mardi Gras in New Orleans"
His pet numbers were "Tipitina" and "Go to the Mardi
Gras."
- This week in Louisiana.
Cajun Ground Hog Day
February 2nd, 2016
Bouligny Plaza
102 W Main St, New Iberia, LA 70560
337-365-6773 | 337-367-9640
Website
Bouligny Plaza
Annual event where New Iberia's own version of the traditional
groundhog, Pierre C. Shaddeaux, a native nutria, emerges to
predict weather the weather for the next six weeks…etiher a
long or short spring depending on if Pierre sees his shaddeaux
or not.
Like us on Facebook.
140. Kristen Becker interview, part 1. For 15 years, Kristen has loved bringing her raucous
point-of-view comedy to audiences all over the continent.
Toronto’s Xtra! lauded her “brash and
personal humor.” As the winner of the Queen City Comedy
Competition, she took the largely male-dominated genre by storm.
A comedian who happens to also be an out lesbian, Becker
consistently wins the hearts of all audiences, straight and gay
alike, with her unapologetic humor. Her childhood, divided
between the Rust Belt and the Deep South, has left her uniquely
able to connect with all manner of people. She has been
part of comedy routines like Dykes of Hazard and Loosen the Bible
Belt, in which she teams up with Jay Bakker, son of Jim
and Tammy Faye Bakker. Quinn Warner joins us today as a guest host. Warning--today's episode has explicit language and content.
- This week in Louisiana history. January 23, 1680. Bienville
born in Montreal, Canada, 12 of 14 children.
- This week in New Orleans history. January 23, 1893.
General P.G.T. Beauregard dies.
- This week in Louisiana.
Fasching Karneval & Parade
January 23rd, 2016
Downtown Minden
Downtown Minden, Minden, LA 71055
318-377-2144
Website
139. We interview writer Kimberly Willis Holt, the author of
numerous books for children and teens, including My Louisiana Sky. "By the time I was fourteen years old, I’d
lived in Pensacola, Florida; Paris, France; Norfolk, Virginia;
Alexandria, Louisiana; Barrigada, Guam; Bremerton, Washington;
Forest Hill, Louisiana and the Westbank of New Orleans. Our
kitchen reflected all those places we’d called home. We ate
French toast, pancit and lumpia, red beans and rice. And we
never forgot my family’s central Louisiana roots. We ate chicken
and dumplings, too."
- This week in Louisiana history. January 16, 1962. Students
at Southern Univ. begin civil rights demonstrations.
- This week in New Orleans history. January 9-18, 1815. The
Siege of Fort St. Philip lasted from January 9 to January 18,
1815 just after the British defeat at the Battle of New
Orleans.
- This week in Louisiana.
11th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival
Louisiana's Reel Festival
January 20th, 2016 - January 27th, 2016
Various Locations
101 W. Vermilion St., Lafayette, LA 70501
337-235-7845
Website
138. Join us for part 2 of our interview with Laura Janelle McNight. Laura is a “freelance booze writer for NOLA.COM.
Founder of the Gumbo Party. We are pro-roux, anti-lettuce,
pro-choice: Seafood or Chicken & Sausage, cher?” That makes her an expert on having a good time in New Orleans. You can find her articles in the New Orleans Times Picayune and their online site, NOLA.COM. She also has allowed the Louisiana Anthology to cross-post one of her articles,
“Grieving For The Pies I’ve Never Eaten,” about the Hubig’s Pies factory fire.
- This week's poem from Lily the Street Poet.
- This week in Louisiana history. January 9, 1967. NFL New
Orleans' franchise takes name "Saints."
- This week in New Orleans history. January 9, 1840.
Andrew Jackson arrived on board the steamer “Vicksburg” on
January 8, 1840 at ten o’clock in the morning, landing at the
Carrollton wharf, where an immense throng had assembled to
welcome “the most distinguished citizen of the country.”
The specific reason for his presence was that a cornerstone
was to be laid, commemorating his victories in the Battle of
New Orleans, a quarter of a century before. General Jackson
laid the cornerstone in the Place d’Armes, on January 9, 1840.
It was not until some years later that the monument decided
upon was the one of Jackson, designed by Clark Mills, which
stands in the center of the ancient parade grounds for the
troops. This statue has been called the “center piece of one
of the finest architectural sittings in the world.”
- This week in Louisiana.
Krewe of Sobek Mardi Gras Parade
January 16th, 2016
Fairgrounds Field
Shreveport, LA 71101
318-222-0132
Website
137. Join us for part 1 of our interview with Laura Janelle McNight. Laura is a “freelance booze writer for NOLA.COM.
Founder of the Gumbo Party. We are pro-roux, anti-lettuce,
pro-choice: Seafood or Chicken & Sausage, cher?” That makes her an expert on having a good time in New Orleans. You can find her articles in the New Orleans Times Picayune and their online site, NOLA.COM. She also has allowed the Louisiana Anthology to cross-post one of her articles,
“Grieving For The Pies I’ve Never Eaten,” about the Hubig’s Pies factory fire.
- This week in Louisiana history. January 2, 1811. U.S.
Rep. Julien Poydras declared Louisiana's right to become a
state.
- This week in New Orleans history. Beautiful Rayne Memorial
United Methodist Church located on the corner of St.
Charles Avenue and General Taylor Street was was erected in
1875, with the first services celebrated January 2, 1876. The
original name, St. Charles Avenue Methodist Church, was
changed to its present name in 1887 in honor of Robert W.
Rayne, a New Orleans merchant who paid for more than half the
cost of construction. He did so in honor of his son, who was
killed in the Civil War.
- This week in Louisiana.
Battle of New Orleans Commemoration
January 8th, 2016 - January 9th, 2016
Chalmette National Park
8606 West St. Bernard Hwy, Chalmette, LA 70043
504-278-4242
Website
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136. Part 2 of our interview with Sim Shattuck. Sim was born in
Decatur, Georgia, has lived in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and New York
City, although most of his growing years were in Northern
Virginia, where he graduated from George Mason University in
1972. He earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of
Southern Mississippi in 1997. He retired from teaching English
at Louisiana Tech University and is currently living in
Covington, Louisiana. He has also written the following novels:
Yarilo's Dance, Krewe
of Hecate, Basilisk,
& Pleasant
Hurricanes.
- This week in Louisiana history. December 25 1913 "Candy"
Candido was born today in New Orleans. You can hear his voice
in Disney's "Peter Pan," "Robin Hood," and the Haunted Mansion
attraction, among other Disney productions.
- This week in New Orleans history. George Joseph Porter, Jr.
(born December 26, 1947) is best known as the bassist
and singer for The Meters. Along with Art Neville,
Porter formed the group in the mid 1960s and came to be
recognized as one of the progenitors of funk.
- This week in Louisiana.
New Year's Eve in New Orleans
Jackson Square
For the biggest party in the city, head down to Jackson Square
– the Quarter is packed with festive partygoers eager to count
down the time until the New Year arrives. And because New
Orleans does everything a little differently, don’t expect
your run of the mill New Years ball drop; instead “Baby New
Year” drops from its perch on the top of Jax Brewery followed
by a magnificent fireworks show over the Mississippi. Follow
the crowds to Bourbon Street and party til’ the early morning,
or break away from the group and find your own special spot to
celebrate in.
