The Voice of the Arts
Episodes
A Thespian Super Bowl Pits Glenn Close Against Jon Lovitz
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Acting at its finest, and a story about an imaginary playmate who can’t play because he has to take a meeting.
Black Bart and Emilio Kosterlitzky
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our resident Wild West historian Jim Dunham joins us once again to discuss two characters of the Old West, one an outlaw and the other a lawman.
My Oedipus Complex
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Never, never had anyone spoken to me in that tone before. I looked at him incredulously and saw his face convulsed with rage. It was only then ...
Axis
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We feature another great short story by Alice Munro titled “Axis,” first published in The New Yorker in 2011. As in many of Alice Munro’s short ...
Return to M&M World
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Walbert’s 2012 New Yorker short story is set on a buzzing early spring day in Times Square, evoking the unique sense of renewal and energy palp...
Geronimo Rides Again
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The life and times of the Apache warrior and his involvement in the longest armed conflict in U.S. History.
The Babes Return
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Flora and Terry were both born out of wedlock and have been sent to live far from their families to hide the shame. Flora reveals to Terry that his...
Everything Still Rises
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A fateful bus ride provides the backdrop for an exploration of early ’60s race relations and the differing beliefs between a mother and her son ...
Haven Redux
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Spending time with Uncle Jasper and Aunt Dawn.
How Badly Do You Want to Be a Millionaire?
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When faced with a million dollar question about the planets, it’s important to be careful which answer you put your finger on.
That Train Keeps-a-Rollin’
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Songs and tales from riding the rails.
Just Ignore That Gigantic Dead Ape in the Street
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was the woman in the negligee being carried by King Kong as he climbed the Empire State Building actually one of the cleaning women?
Don’t Break Up in Winter. It Magnifies the Cold. Break Up in Spring when the Sun Will Keep You Warm.
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How a youthful, dissolute lifestyle helped create the terrific lyrics to Leonard Cohen’s “Closing Time.”
Reggae Singers, Flat-Pickers and Groucho Marx
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A suggestion for how to handle the check at the end of a dinner with friends: hand it to the person next to you and say “This is outrageous! I w...
The Joys of Bundling and Royal Tenenbaum’s Prognosis for Recovery
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For some, bundling is nothing more than combining phone, internet and cable plans into one low monthly rate. But for others, it’s a whole lot mo...
From Mantua to Brooklyn, From Wiseguys to Penguins
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Opera, music, movies, and poetry dealing with Italian culture across continents and generations.
Return to Thunderdome
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A retrospective of the unique and varied career of director George Miller, along with the story of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s battle against IS...
The Art of Lowering One’s Standards
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How far can one lower their own standards before they’ve gone too low? It seems there truly is no limit.
The Life and Times of Tom Horn
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A brand-new interview with Old West expert Jim Dunham exploring the life of government scout and notorious hired gun Tom Horn, who used his fluency in...
More Fun With a Stranger
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Yates’ short story, which captures one third grade teacher’s ability to make the classroom feel decidedly like a dungeon.
The Origins of Office Life
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A theory about the invention of work and the office, and a tale of two Henry’s: Henry V and Henry Hill.
Master Thespians and Imaginary Playmates
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Thespian, O Thespian! Glenn Close and Jon Lovitz show us their undying devotion for their one true love — acting! And the make-believe continues...
Early Pioneers of Country Music
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jimmy Rogers and the Carter Family take us on a tour of some of country music’s early pioneers. Plus, the Fanny Farmer Cookbook and a General Mo...
The New Year’s Episode
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcoming you to the new year with a dose of comedy: Jackie Mason talks relationship advice, Simon Rich explores the secret lives of animals, and Bob ...
The Thanksgiving Episode
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not Thanksgiving without some of the best music from Eastern Europe: Corky Bucek’s “Bing Bong Bing Bong Did a Liddle Liddle.” Plu...
Suffering from Idiocy Again
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Frazier explores human fallacy and the pivotal question: Does doing something stupid make you an idiot? Or are you merely someone who suffers fro...
The Broken-Hearted Redux
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A collection of early country classics from the lovesick and broken-hearted — Webb Pierce, George Jones, Hank Williams and many others.
Work and Holiday Revisited
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Letters of recommendation, job rejections and sales contests — an exploration of the ups and downs of the modern workplace.
A Good Man is Hard to Find
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I guess the Grandmother was right — they should have gone to East Tennessee instead. Flannery O’Connor’s brilliant, gothic 1953 shor...
Summer’s Dawn
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Getting a tattoo removed isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. A new episode to accompany all your summer fun.
Laughter and Tears
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” These were Stonewall Jackson’s last words, and they provide a poignant ...
The Real Story Behind Paul Revere’s Ride
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the story of Paul Revere’s legendary ride to warn of approaching British forces during the Revolutionary War, but few remember the real ...
M&M World
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Walbert’s 2012 New Yorker short story is set on a buzzing early spring day in Times Square, evoking the unique sense of renewal and energy palp...
Axis
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We feature another great short story by Alice Munro titled “Axis,” first published in The New Yorker in 2011. As in many of Alice Munro’s sh...
The Renewed Power of Rhetoric
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week we return to an early classic episode, an exploration of the impact of passionate and well-crafted speech. Effective rhetoric can rouse supp...
Winter Doldrums
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 1954, Frank Sinatra won an Oscar for his performance as a scrappy soldier named Angelo Maggio in the film “From Here to Eternity.” In ou...
Winter Rain in California Means Snow in the Mountains
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new year brings with it a new episode, with lots to keep you warm during this cold and rainy season. We feature two classic comedy segments, one of ...
A Cure for Fevers and Heartburn
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it humanly possible to have too much cowbell? I mean is it physically, psychologically, emotionally, and morally possible to have too much cowbell?
Haven
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What I mean is, this kind of music? Concerts and the like? They ever pay money to sit down for a couple of hours and wear their bottoms out listeni...
More Bread and More Cowbell
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When this episode was first released, we were only 2 months into the Covid pandemic, and many people were homesteading and finding new comforts in sim...
Sidney and Bessie Anew
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We return this week with another early episode which highlights the life and times of New Orleans musician Sidney Bechet, the legendary jazz saxophoni...
The Genius Returns
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Among his many talents, Irish writer Frank O’Connor had a particular gift for showing the world through the eyes of young, precocious, often nai...
Another Late Encounter
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing with the theme of our last episode, we present another one of Flannery O’Connor’s great short stories, “A Late Encounter ...
Everything Rises Again
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Flannery O’Connor was one of the greatest Southern writers, and one who truly understood the people and nuances of the South. In our second ever...
First Confession’s Second Coming
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we revisit another of our very first episodes, featuring a wonderful 1950 short story by Irish writer Frank O’Connor entitled “First Con...
Anti-Heroes Redux
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You might just want to listen to this re-release of Podcast #22 if you answer YES to the following questions: Are you so tired of superheroes that eve...
April Is the Cruelest Month
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A toxic mix of Bob Newhart, Mel Brooks, Dr. Fllambeau, and the best Klezmer band that ever was.
The Late March Early April Podcast
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Paging Mr. Driftwood!” Humor abounds in this episode, brought to you by the likes of Groucho Marx, Bob Newhart, and Flight of the Conchor...
Back with the Babes in the Wood
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Returning to our very first episode, we feature the short story “The Babes in the Wood” from Irish writer Frank O’Connor, a show fav...
Return to The Sacred and the Profane
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we revisit a favorite episode from the past — Episode #15: “The Sacred and the Profane”, in which Simon Rich wonders whet...
Geronimo: The Life of the Apache Warrior
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Geronimo and the longest armed conflict in U.S. History, including the recently ended war in Afghanistan.
Steve Martin’s 5 Christmas Wishes
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Spirit of Giving, 3 gals crazy for Santa, and Clyde McPhatter’s “White Christmas”.
Stefan Fllambeau: Performance Artist, Spiritual Healer, Life Coach, and Motivational Speaker Graces Us with His Wisdom
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stefan Fllambeau gets to the bottom of Atlanta’s scandal at the DOT. And, the Venona Project, and what we knew but could not reveal about Soviet esp...
A Thespian Super Bowl Pits Glenn Close Against Jon Lovitz
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Acting at its finest, and a story about an imaginary playmate who can’t play because he has to take a meeting.
The Thanksgiving Podcast
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Music from Eastern Europe: Corky Bucek’s “Bing Bong Bing Bong Did a Liddle Liddle”. Plus, the perils of sexual overstimulation, and Simon Ri...
How The Fatigue of Taking Care of Toddlers Forced Early Man to Invent Work and the Office
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A grand mix of the St. Crispin’s Day Speech from “Henry V” and some insight into another Henry: Henry Hill, who helped engineer the larg...
Welcome to Thunderdome: Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The varied films of George Miller from “Mad Max” to “Babe”, and the story of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher and the battle against ...
The Short, Happy Life of a Free-Range Chicken
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Free-Range Chicken Number 1: “Life is really great here. The food is fantastic and you really get room to run around and peck others.” Fre...
The Proper Use and Care of Your Shower Curtain
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A shake-up in the executive suite at the Waffle and Pancake Council of America. Plus, the sex scandals at Meerkat Manor.
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, Leaders of the Lakota
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Dunham discusses the history of the nomadic Native American tribes that followed the buffalo, and the charismatic leaders of the Oglala and Hunkpa...
The Earl of Sandwich’s First Attempt: One Slice of Bread in Between Two Slices of Bread
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is there really such a thing as pre-natal speech, and did the Earl of Sandwich really invent the sandwich? Podcast 33 reveals the truth with the help...
Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner Reveal How Humankind First Understood the Differences in Gender
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The legendary comedy duo of Brooks and Reiner teach us the secrets of longevity, poet Richard Wilbur whimsically explores the nature of shame, and Sta...
Whatever Happened to Rock n’ Roll Instrumentals? Have They Simply Disappeared?
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Ventures, Bill Justice and others give us a taste of a bygone art form: rock songs without lyrics where the guitar riffs and driving beats provide...
Sigmund Freud and Adelaide’s Lament
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Likes mud likes mud, this X means the horse likes mud – “Guys and Dolls”, horse racing, and the great foot race between Jerry and Duncan.
The Legend of Billy the Kid
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The blood curdling howl of a schnauzer in a frightful urban legend, and the Wild West saga of Henry McCartey, alias Henry Antrim, alias William Antrim...
Book of Dreams
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce Springsteen’s song reflecting on his second trip to the altar and Woody Allen wondering how the word “Oldsmobile” showed up in one of the ...
The Two Helens
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The big band leaders of the 30’s and 40’s referred to them as canaries and saw them as a necessary distraction from what they enjoyed most: elabor...
Lower My Standards?? With Pleasure!
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In Podcast #27, we will explore the questions: Are my standards too high, too exacting for me to be truly happy? Why do I sometimes feel like I should...
The Broken-Hearted
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A salute to more early country musicians, especially the broken-hearted like George Jones, “who may not be walkin’ tall but he’s tryin&#...
Country Music Pioneers
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week you’ll hear from two of the pioneers of country music, plus a General Motors ad from the 2008 recession: Take this car……please.
LaVern Baker and Ernesto Nazareth
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
She was the second woman inducted into the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame and today few people remember her name, and he is the most famous composer from...
Professional Ambition
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Which of the following would you consider it advisable to do? 1. Hire Jerry Seinfeld as your life coach… 2. Buy a new automobile from Jerry Lund...
Anti-Heroes
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You just might want to listen to Podcast #22 if you answer YES to the following questions: Are you so tired of superheroes that even a hero sandwich g...
A Good Man is Hard to Find
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Flannery O’Connor’s chilling tale of a vacation bound family that encounters three prison escapees on a twisting dirt road in South Georgia is the...
My Oedipus Complex
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Never, never had anyone spoken to me in that tone before. I looked at him incredulously and saw his face convulsed with rage. It was only then ...
Suffering From Idiocy
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It is not rare for us fallible humans to make a mistake every now and again, but does doing something stupid make you an idiot? Or are you merely some...
Fun With A Stranger
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When, as children, fate can send us into one of two third grade classrooms, we get our first taste of life’s randomness. Richard Yates’ short ...
The Good, the Bad, and Al Dente – Episode 17
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The mythic American West has been depicted in stories and legends for more than 150 years, and the larger-than-life personalities and epic range wars ...
The Power of Rhetoric – Episode 16
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A passionate and well-crafted speech is often the most impactful way to rouse supporters and sway opponents, and words can sometimes be the most pierc...
The Sacred and the Profane – Episode 15
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In order to understand the spiritual mysteries of the world, it sometimes help to explore the irreverent, as can be evidenced by the title of our firs...
A Mohel and a Cop – Episode 14
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Seinfeld” was one of the best TV comedies of the ’90s for many reasons. In addition to whip-smart writing by Larry David, an indeli...
Work and Holiday – Episode 13
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“First prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third Prize is you’re fi...
Sidney and Bessie – Episode 12
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Somebody told me this Bessie, she was the damnedest singer, and I asked her to sing, and that’s how it started. Just as soon as she start...
Bakin’ Tips and Mason Bits – Episode 11
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode marks the 6th edition since the Coronavirus quarantine began, and we hope that it finds you healthy, safe, and finding some joy in a s...
Frank O’Connor’s ‘The Genius’ – Episode 10
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“So far, our town hadn’t had a proper genius, and I intended to supply the deficiency.” So says Larry, the precocious young narrator...
Tales of the 20th Century – Episode 9
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our episode this week will feature two magnificent recordings of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” along with some accompanying commenta...
Dukes and Mobsters – Episode 8
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We are back this week with a brand new episode designed to transport you to yet another time and place, this time 16th Century Mantua, Italy. Joe expl...
Return to the Old West – Episode 7
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Travel back to a bygone time with host Joe Weber, as he explores some of the legends and tales of the Old West through music and storytelling. Residen...
Back to the Old West – Episode 6
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, your host Joe Weber takes you back on a tour of the Old West with poetry, some classic Western tunes and a fascinating interview about the ...
Comedy Roundup – Episode 5
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, your host Joe Weber has compiled some of his favorite comedy bits from AM1690, The Voice of the Arts in Atlanta. Comedy was always an essen...
A Late Encounter With the Enemy – Episode 4
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode finds your host, Joe Weber, ruminating on the realities of aging, and features a reading of Flannery O’Connor’s ...
First Confession – Episode 3
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of “The Voice of the Arts,” host Joe Weber offers listeners a reading of Frank O’Connor’s short story “F...
Everything That Rises Must Converge – Episode 2
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The second episode of “The Voice of the Arts” features a reading of Flannery O’Connor’s “Everything That Rises Must Conv...
The Babes in the Wood – Episode 1
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The first episode of The Voice of the Arts is a reading of Frank O’Connor’s “The Babes in the Wood,” originally published in T...