GUEST: Leslie
Griffith--a veteran television journalist who's won numerous
awards, including nine Emmys, and also won awards and acclaim
for a TV piece she did on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus and its abuse of Asian elephants--discusses
the genesis of that piece, the possibly darker and certainly
more under reported story that many of Ringling's touring
elephants have tuberculosis that can be spread to other elephants
and humans, Ringling owner Kenneth Feld's history of retaliating
against journalists and authors who've done pieces or books
critical of Ringling, the fact that she's never been an animal
activist or member of an animal welfare group, that she's
currently writing a book about corporate censorship of the
media, and more. [www.LeslieGriffithProductions.com]
COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan's "Flipper
& Gentle Ben" [www.BrianRegan.com]
MUSIC: Hot Club of Cowtown's "Red
Bird," Antibalas' "Elephant," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Everly Brothers'
"Bird Dog"
GUEST: Barbara Masi--president
of the Florida/Southeast Coast Chapter of Greyhound Pets of
America (GPA), as well as national marketing director of GPA,
a national non-profit organization whose chief purpose is
finding homes for former racing greyhounds while educating
the public on the virtues of adopting these dogs--discusses
the standard stages of a racing greyhound's life & "career,"
the traits that makes them particularly good companion animals,
the challenges in finding adoptive homes for these dogs (including
the sheer numbers--15 states across the country operate greyhound
tracks--and, in Florida, which has the most tracks, many condo
associations and communities prohibit dogs, or dogs as large
as greyhounds,) different schools of thought within the greyhound
adoption community, and more. [www.GreyhoundPets.orgwww.GreyhoundPetsFl.org]
COMEDY CORNER: Tom Shillue's "Animal
Shows" [www.TomShillue.com]
MUSIC: They Might Be Giants' "Cowtown,"
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings' "Fish In The Dish,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Cat
Stevens' "I Love My Dog"
GUEST: Marty Sanders--guitarist
with Jay And The Americans, perhaps best known for such 60s
hits as "Come A Little Bit Closer" and "This
Magic Moment," and still performing a slew of concerts
across the country each year--discusses his lifelong interest
in reptiles (as a kid, they reminded him of dinosaurs) and
growing expertise as something of a herpetologist, how he's
regularly called upon near his upstate New York home to relocate
Timber Rattlesnakes that have foraged from their dens or the
woods very close to houses and educate the affected residents,
how he now shares his home with various Australian reptiles
(monitor lizards, skinks, etc) but not snakes; he also responded
to a number of listener questions, and more. [www.JayAndTheAmericans.net]
COMEDY CORNER: Bill Engvall's "Dorkfish"
[www.BillEngvall.com]
MUSIC: Jimmy Smith's "Ape Woman,"
Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Snake Farm," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Doors' "Crawling
King Snake"
GUEST: Pete Gallagher--a Florida
native and Renaissance Man of sorts who hosts WMNF's weekly
"Florida Folk Show," he was an award-winning journalist
and writer, he worked for Chief Jim Billie at the Seminole
Tribe of Florida, he's a veteran singer-songwriter and producer,
he managed the career of the late blues singer Diamond Teeth
Mary, etc...but most of pursuits are tied to his keen interest
in preserving Florida's environment and wildlife, a passion
for 35 years, and as such, he's an expert on the plight of
the Florida Panther--discusses various facets of the highly
endangered Florida Panthers, including the distinguishing
traits of the Panther, the estimated number in the wild (50),
efforts to monitor and assist those remaining panthers, the
great room to roam required by Florida Panther against the
increasing development and shrinking habitat, suggestions
about how to help these cats, and more. [www.FloridaPanther.com]
COMEDY CORNER: Mitch Hedberg's "Koalas"
(snippet) [www.MitchHedberg.net]
MUSIC: The Gothic Archies' "Crows,"
TC & The Shooters' "Hold On Big Cat," (co-written
by Pete Gallagher), instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL
TUNE: Squeeze's "Cool For Cats"
GUEST: Michael
Markarian--executive vice-president of The Humane Society
of the United States (HSUS), president of The Fund For Animals
and president of The Humane Society Legislative Fund--discusses
various aspects of the HSUS undercover investigation at
a California slaughter plant (which led to the largest recall
of beef in U.S. history), including the powerful impact
of video footage documenting the abuse of "downer"
cattle, the lawsuit HSUS subsequently filed against the
USDA seeking to shore up or revamp pertinent inspection
and enforcement policies, and a handful of other topics
including some of the other campaigns, legislative efforts
and other work undertaken by HSUS, the nation's largest
animal protection organization. We also touched briefly
on "Animals & Politics," the terrific blog
(an easy way to get there: www.fund.org)
Markarian writes that examines, among an assortment of topics,
the animal welfare record and statements of the Presidential
candidates past and present, and other politicians. [www.HSUS.org]
COMEDY CORNER: Paul F. Tompkins' "Alternative
Pets" [www.PaulFTompkins.com]
MUSIC: Angelo Badalamenti "Cool Cat
Walk," Midnight Oil's "Mosquito March," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn't play "Name
That Animal Tune" today
From the video documenting the abuse of 'downer' cattle.
GUEST: Amy Sutherland--journalist
and author, most recently of "What Shamu Taught Me About
Life, Love and Marriage"--discusses some of the techniques
addressed in the new book (which expands her New York Times
"Modern Love" column, "What Shamu Taught Me
About A Happy Marriage"--The Times' most e-mailed article
for all of 2006--about how she used animal training techniques
to improve her relationship with her husband), the outgrowth
of Sutherland researching her previous book about Moorpark
Community College's Exotic Animal Training and Management
program and spending a year observing the interactions between
the animals and their trainers. [www.AmySutherland.com] COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan's' "Animals"
[www.BrianRegan.com] MUSIC: The Budos Band's "King Cobra,"
Jason Falkner's "All God's Creatures," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: U2's "The Fly"
GUEST: Gene Baur--the cofounder
and president of The Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading
farm animal protection organization--discusses his new book,
"Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals
And Food," (an acclaimed crazy quilt of a book whose
patches include a Baur bio, both a history and current account
of The Farm Sanctuary, chapter-ending profiles of rescued
animals living at their Watkins Glen, NY and Orland, CA sanctuaries,
and an engaging, if sometimes unsettling, textbook on how
factory farming actually works for beef, chicken, milk, pork,
veal, etc.), his decades-long efforts trying to help pass
relevant legislation, and much more. [www.GeneBaur.com,
www.FarmSanctuary.org
] COMEDY CORNER: Ellen DeGeneres' "Licking
A Frog" (snippet) [www.ellen.warnerbros.com] MUSIC: Davy Graham's "Buffalo,"
R.E.M.'s "Horse To Water," instrumentals NAME
THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Happy Monster & Lizard "Old
McDonald Had A Farm"
GUEST: Karen Dawn--a veteran
Los Angeles-based and nationally-recognized media watchdog,
specializing in animal coverage; her DawnWatch e-mail alerts
call attention to radio, television and print pieces about
animals or, sometimes, health, nutrition, the environment--discusses
the history and impact of the DawnWatch alerts (which urge
recipients to communicate support to the reporter, editor,
producer--providing contact info to do so--in a bid to cultivate
more such coverage), and various aspects of "Thanking
The Monkey: Rethinking The Way We Treat Animals," her
beautifully-written her new book that examines a full spectrum
of animal issues in a friendly, conversational manner and
liberally sprinkled with "Bizarro" cartoons and
other engaging visual elements, including photos of celebrity
animal advocates. [www.DawnWatch.Com,
www.ThankingTheMonkey.com]
COMEDY CORNER: Greg Proops' "Animal
Rights" [www.GregProops.com]
MUSIC: The Bad Plus "Frog And Toad,"
Radiohead's "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Prince--"When
Doves Cry"
May 14, 2008
GUEST: Melanie Bowles--cofounder, with her husband
Jim, of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary--discusses the history
of the Sanctuary (it began some 18 years ago, taking in one
horse, Cody, on five acres in Myakka City, FL) and evolution
(it's now a 320-acre facility in Mena, AR that has provided
a safe, nurturing home to more than 150 abused, neglected
or unwanted horses), her books, including the latest, "Hoof
Prints: More Stories From Proud Spirit," (the first,
"The Horses Of Proud Spirit," was the basis for
an Emmy-winning PBS special of the same name), and her view
of such timely equine-oriented topics as horse racing and
horse slaughter, including the widespread practice of slaughtering
race horses for profit, and more. [www.HorsesOfProudSpirit.Com]
COMEDY CORNER: Jerry Seinfeld's "Horses"
(snippet) MUSIC: Friends Of Dean Martinez's
"All The Pretty Horses," John Doe's "There's
A Black Horse," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL
TUNE: Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses"
GUEST: Janeane Garofalo--the
comedian-actress-activist and former Air America radio host
who's also a longtime animal lover and advocate (with a particular
emphasis on rescue dogs)--discusses the rescue dogs she's
adopted, how she decided to no longer put them through the
stresses of traveling with her to movie locations and other
shoots, her adventures and misadventures with fostering dogs
at her New York apartment, the New York dog rescue organizations
she feels most strongly connected to, her view of the political
landscape and the Presidential race (including the significant
misogyny directed toward Hillary Clinton during the campaign),
joining the cast of "24," and more. COMEDY
CORNER: Dave Attell's "Parrot" (www.DaveAttell.com) MUSIC: Combustible Edison's "One Eyed
Monkey," Rickie Lee Jones' "Bye Bye Blackbird,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:
The Stray Cats' "Stray Cat Strut"
GUEST: Moby--the songwriter-musician-DJ-veteran
animal activist who enjoys the status of a recording artist
who's enormously successful both commercially (his "Play"
album sold 9 million copies) and critically, including his
well-reviewed new album, "Last Night"-- and former
Air America radio host who's also a longtime animal lover
and advocate (with a particular emphasis on rescue dogs)--discusses
his self-described evolution from "militant vegan"
to animal advocate who holds nearly identical beliefs, but
now expresses them in a less aggressive, less judgmental fashion;
his edgy, tongue-in-cheek music video for his new song "Disco
Lies"; his increasing work on behalf of the Humane Society
of The U.S., and why; and MobyGratis, a program by which he
makes portions of his music available for free to student
and non-profit filmmakers; and more. [www.Moby.com] COMEDYCORNER: Mitch Hedberg's
"Smackie The Frog" (snippet) (www.MitchHedberg.net) MUSIC: Les Paul's "Chicken Reel,"
Moby's "Hyenas," instrumentals NAMETHATANIMALTUNE:
Marvin Gaye's "I'll Be Doggone"
GUEST: Garth Stein--former
documentary filmmaker and author, most recently of "The
Art Of Racing In The Rain," a terrific new novel told
from the standpoint of a wonderfully wise and philosophical
dog named Enzo--discusses the seedlings of the idea that yielded
the key story elements of "The Art Of Racing In The Rain,"
and Enzo himself in the role of narrator; why and how Enzo
is so philosophical and compassionate; how much of Enzo represents
Stein, or the idealized him; the confidence he felt as he
completed the novel in the strength of Enzo's voice and the
attendant originality of the book's storytelling, even when
those feelings weren't shared by his now former literary agent;
and the ongoing influence Enzo has on Stein and the way he
endeavors to treat loved ones and others. [www.GarthStein.com,
www.ArtOfRacingInTheRain.com] COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan's "Dog Barking"
(www.BrianRegan.com) MUSIC: David Grisman's "Dawg's Bull,"
Joel Malizia's "I Love My Dog," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Weather Report's "Birdland"
GUEST: Jodi Chemes (pictured
with a bovine buddy) & Nikki Benoit--members of Florida
Voices For Animals, a Tampa-based organization devoted to
educating the public about a host of animal issues and fostering
compassionate choices--discuss the history and evolution of
FVA, how and why increasing awareness about factory farming
became FVA's chief objective (cruelty to animals, environmental
impact, personal health, etc.), the related multiple virtues
of a vegan diet, take calls from carnivores wondering where
locally to buy chicken and meat processed more humanely than
factory farming products, provide educational resources and
websites (including www.VegTampaBay.com & www.ChooseVeg.com)
while noting all the types of information, links and contact
details on their own website. [www.FloridaVoicesForAnimals.org] COMEDY CORNER: Tom Papa's "Pet People"
(www.TomPapa.com) MUSIC: Rainstick Orchestra's "Waltz
For A Little Bird," Daniel Lanois' "Moondog,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:
Bent Fabric's "Alley Cat"
This represents
a special one-hour edition of "Talking Animals"
that aired on July 9 at 1pm, in addition to the regularly-scheduled
half-hour edition that aired earlier in the day at 11:30am...
GUEST: Michael Mountain--president and
one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society, which
operates the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned
animals--discusses the history and evolution of the organization
(located in southern Utah), touches on the number and types
of animals living there, outlines the situation with the
Michael Vick dogs (Best Friends took in more than 20 of
the most abused of those fighting dogs) and their progress,
briefly explains the logistics and protocol of the Rapid
Response Team's forays into such disaster-devastated areas
as Iowa after the flooding and New Orleans after Katrina,
offers information and observations about the "No More
Homeless Pets" movement (which Mountain and Best Friends
largely spearheaded) including sharp philosophical differences
on this issue between Best Friends and other notable organizations
like People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA)
and The Humane Society Of The U.S., and more. [www.BestFriends.org] COMEDY CORNER: Eddie Izzard's "Talk
To The Animals" (www.EddieIzzard.com) MUSIC: The Eels' "I Like Birds,"
Joel Malizia's "I Love My Dog," Erin McKeown's
"Blackbirds," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Henry Mancini's
"Baby Elephant Walk"
MP3 audio archive:
July
9, 2008 (2nd show - a special 1-hour edition)
