WHRO Public Media

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Updated 10/27/2013
News

News

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News Commentary

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Music History

Music History

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10/02/2020

Mark Laita: "Soft White Underbelly"

This episode is not appropriate for all listeners. Award-winning photographer Mark Laita has used his skills for clients such as Adidas, Apple and Mercedes-Benz, and his photography has been exhibited worldwide. But he might be doing the most important work of his life right now on Skid Row in Los Angeles. A few years ago, Laita started taking photographs of people living on the street, drug-addicts and prostitutes—and he began interviewing them and recording their stories. He never imagined his YouTube project Soft White Underbelly would take off the way it has, with over a million subscribers. Laita says he can’t help all the people he speaks to (though he has tried). But he says raising awareness about the suffering of people we don’t regularly meet could help future generations. Dr. Alan Campbell has an intimate conversation with Laita, discussing his childhood, how he became a photographer, and the painful but powerful work he’s doing now. Visit “Soft White Underbelly” https://tinyurl.com/tg232ag Learn more about Mark Laita http://www.marklaita.com/

10/02/2020

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12/29/2023

Scott Eyman on Charlie Chaplin Beyond The Screen

Known as one of the greatest entertainers in movie history, Charlie Chaplin rose to fame in the silent films of the nineteen-hundreds, and created one of the most iconic characters ever seen on the screen. But his career was derailed after being caught in the crossfire of political turmoil and mired in scandal. As a result, he was exiled from the U-S during the post-war Red Scare. On today's final installment of Watching America, best-selling Hollywood biographer and film historian Scott Eyman takes us behind the scenes of the tumultuous life of this famed cinematic genius. We’ll explore Chaplin’s politics, his controversies, and the relentless pursuit of his artistic vision.

12/29/2023

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5D AGO

The Thoroughgoods: A Family that Shaped Virginia’s Shores

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we explore the Thoroughgoods, a family whose history mirrors Virginia’s own. From an indentured servant who helped expand the colony to descendants divided by revolution, their story reveals how independence reshaped families, loyalties, and the land itself.

5d ago

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2 min
08/15/2019

American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century

Author Maureen Callahan's best-selling true crime thrill is a detailed account of the case of Israel Keyes. She joins us to talk about how she researched the book for years, and share all the details she uncovered. This conversation includes graphic details not appropriate for all listeners, including children.

08/15/2019

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04/06/2021

The Man of a Thousand Stories | Garrison Keillor, Author and Former Host of A Prairie Home Companion

From quitting alcohol to his complicated relationship with fame, Garrison Keillor shares wonderful stories and insights from his time as an author and legendary host of A Prairie Home Companion.

04/06/2021

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12/17/2025

*Extended Feature* "Christmas in Colonial Virginia"

Christmas in Colonial Virginia takes listeners back to the Tidewater of the 1700s, when the holiday looked and felt very different from today. From candlelit homes and twelve days of Christmastide to taverns, plantation gatherings, and wartime upheaval, the program explores how Christmas was observed across colonial Virginia—and how the coming Revolution reshaped the season in Hampton Roads, including the burning of Norfolk. Produced by WHRO Public Media in Norfolk, Virginia, as part of Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, this episode traces the traditions and tensions of a Virginia Christmas along America’s road to independence.

12/17/2025

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40 min
12/26/2025

The Burning of Norfolk

In early 1776, a tense standoff between British warships and Patriot forces ended with the bombardment of Norfolk. What began as a dispute over supplies quickly spiraled into destruction, leaving one of the colonies’ largest cities in ruins. This episode looks at how Norfolk became an early casualty of the Revolution.

12/26/2025

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2 min
12/22/2023

Katy Milkman: Unveiling the Secrets of Lasting Change

Looking for a new start? Want to begin some new habits? It turns out science can help you get from where you are to where you want to be. Award-winning Wharton Professor Katy Milkman is a trailblazer in behavioral science. She has devoted her career to the study of behavior change exploring ways that insights from economics and psychology can be harnessed to change consequential behaviors for good, such as financial habits, exercise, student achievement, and discrimination. To that end, she co-founded and co-directs the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the author of the bestselling book “How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” In this interview with Dr. Alan Campbell, she shares her proven strategies to overcome obstacles, conquer procrastination, and finally achieve your goals. https://www.katymilkman.com

12/22/2023

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53 min
12/15/2023

Clancy Martin: How Not to Kill Yourself

The last time Clancy Martin tried to kill himself was in his basement with a dog leash. It was one of over 10 suicide attempts throughout the course of his life. Yet, he survived — as he had numerous times before. Martin is a prolific author and a professor of philosophy. His research covers the ethics of social and behavioral health, especially in the areas of suicide prevention and the treatment of addiction. In his new book, “How Not to Kill Yourself,” Martin chronicles his multiple suicide attempts in an intimate depiction of the mindset of someone obsessed with self-destruction.

12/15/2023

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53 min
10/23/2025

*Extended Feature* "Forgotten Allies of The Revolution: Spain"

France gets most of the credit for aiding the American Revolution—but another European power made victory possible. Spain supplied money, weapons, and a global strategy that helped corner the British. Join WHRO as we speak with national historians to dig deeper into Spain's crucial role in American Independence and the fight against British forces at Yorktown. From hidden funding networks to daring campaigns along the Gulf, explore how Spain became America’s forgotten ally.

10/23/2025

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7 min

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