On February 16th, 2023 Julie Salamon sat down with WNYC and podcast host Brian Lehrer. Lehrer is the host of The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC Radio’s daily call-in program, covering politics and life, locally and globally. The show was recognized with a 2007 George Foster Peabody Award for “Radio That Builds Community Rather Than Divides.” The New York Times has called Lehrer a “master interviewer,” and in this program we had the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the person behind the microphone. Brian shares stories about his childhood in Queens and how he first became enchanted with radio at summer camp. Brian discusses the approach behind his show on WNYC, and how he and his team manage the callers of New York City. We learn how he maintained the show during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and worked to make his show a source of support for the community. And while he can’t pick a favorite interview, his most memorable caller was Arthur Ashe in 1992, just weeks before he passed away.
Topics covered in this program: Radio, summer camp, public health, the art of facilitation, leadership during Covid-19, going to school in the Midwest, New York City, and Arthur Ashe.
