Content Warning: This conversation includes racially and/or culturally derogatory language and/or negative depictions of Black and Indigenous people of color, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion. While visiting KPFA, a noncommercial radio station in Berkeley, CA, Studs Terkel was being interviewed by Elsa Knight Thompson about how he goes about interviewing his guests.

Discussing the book "Smoke and Mirrors: Violence, Television and Other American Cultures" (published by The New Press) with the author, media critic John Leonard.

Norman Pellegrini interviews Studs Terkel to discuss his life and career as a radio personality. Studs recalls a specific moment walking through the streets of Chicago and hearing blues music coming through the window of someone’s home. As Studs recalls, this moment is one that jump-started his interest in music and radio and inspired him to leave his life of studying law and move into the unknown of music radio. Technical engineer and producer of the show, Jim Unrath, joins the conversation to recount previous interviews and programs of Studs'.

Writer and critic Walter Kerr discusses his book "The Silent Clowns," about the film era's greats including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Raymond Griffith, and Harry Langdon. Studs begins by reading an excerpt from James Agee's "Death in the Family" with music in the background followed by Kerr reading from his book. They begin talking about how silent films affected the audience, lesser known stars Lloyd Hamilton and Charley Chase, and then analyze several famous Charlie Chaplin scenes to assess the complex nature of his characters.

In schools, reading, writing and speech are all on the decline because there are too many visual images from the TV, according to Neil Postman’s book, “Teaching as a Conserving Activity”. Postman criticized “Sesame Street” for its instantaneity. There are no short cuts in teaching, said Postman. He believed the worst thing a teacher could do was to make teaching entertaining for their students.

"The Long March: The Untold Story" is a piece of history that took place but wasn't reported by anyone until Harrison Salisbury wrote his book. Salisbury was 75 when he returned to China to talk to people who marched back in October of 1934. Most of the boys and some girls who went on the 6,000 mile/march were peasants.

"Very Much a Lady: The Untold Story of Jean Harris and Dr. Herman Tarnower" is Shana Alexander's account of this true crime. Jean Harris had a 14-year love affair with Dr. Tarnower of the Scarsdale Diet fame. Alexander's book covers Jean Harris' background, her doomed triste and the trial after the tragic event.

Lisa Sergio was known as the "Golden Voice of Rome" for her radio broadcasts in French, English, and Italian in Italy from 1932-1937. Sergio also worked as a translator of Benito Mussolini's speeches.