Category Archives: Overheard with Evan Smith

In the Studio: David Cross tapes Overheard 11/4

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with David Cross
DATE: November 4
TIME: 1 p.m. (Doors open at 12:30 p.m.)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map).
The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now

Actor, comedian and writer David Cross is known for his work in both movies and on television.  He’s appeared regularly on both Arrested Development and the sketch comedy series Mr. Show, and has also played parts in Strangers with Candy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Modern Family. He also has a recurring spot on The Colbert Report, where he has played the part of a liberal radio host from Madison.  His movie roles include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Kung Fu Panda.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor.  The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida.  We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.

In the Studio: Overheard tapes Wolf, Maraniss, Toobin and Balaban 10/27

Posted on by

Join KLRU for several Oveheard tapings during the Texas Book Festival.  Doors will open at 9:30 am on Saturday, 10/27, for a series of interviews with authors featured in this year’s Texas Book Festival.

One RSVP will grant you admission to all four tapings on 10/27. RSVP now
10:15 am Naomi Wolf (doors at 9:30 am)
11:15 am David Maraniss (doors as soon as Wolf interview complete)
12:45 pm Jeffrey Toobin (doors as soon as Maraniss interview complete)
5:45 pm Bob Balaban (doors open at 5 pm)

All tapings take place in KLRU’s Studio 6A (map)

10:15 am Naomi Wolf RSVP now
Author and activist Naomi Wolf grabbed attention in the early 1990s with her international bestseller The Beauty Myth. The book explored the widespread marketing of unrealistic standards of beauty by the fashion and cosmetics industries, as well as the impact those messages have on women, and it made Wolf a major voice in feminism. Since then, Wolf has written widely about politics, activism and women’s issues. She’s in Austin to speak at the Texas Book Festival about her new book, Vagina: A Cultural History.

11:15 am David Maraniss RSVP now
David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize winner with extensive experience as a reporter, editor, and author. He’s written five bestselling books, including a biography of Bill Clinton, a history of the 1960 Rome Olympics, a biography of Vince Lombardi and a history of the Vietnam era. His latest book is Barack Obama: The Story, which uses hundreds of interviews to chronicle the President’s family history and his life before he entered politics. Here’s your opportunity to hear Maraniss talk about the President just days before the election. We thank the Texas Book Festival for bringing him to Austin.

12:45 pm Jeffrey Toobin RSVP now
Jeffrey Toobin’s newly-published book, The Oath: The Obama White House vs. the Supreme Court, explores the complicated relationship between the Obama administration and the Roberts court. It’s the latest hit from Toobin, a staff writer for The New Yorker and CNN legal analyst. Join us to hear Toobin’s take on the impact of Citizens United, UT’s recent affirmative action arguments before the US Supreme Court, the likely impact of the election on the Court and more. We thank the Texas Book Festival for bringing Toobin to Austin.

5:45 pm Bob Balaban RSVP now
Actor Bob Balaban’s film career stretches from 1969’s Midnight Cowboy to last year’s Moonrise Kingdom. Between those roles, he has played an alien interpreter in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the head of NBC in both Seinfield and The Late Shift, and a part in every Christopher Guest movie. Balaban’s work on Broadway earned him a Tony nomination, and he produced Robert Altman’s Gosford Park, which was nominated for Best Picture. He also has recurring roles in some of the most-respected shows on television. Balaban is in Austin for the Texas Book Festival to discuss his work as the author of a series of children’s novels about a bionic dog named McGrowl.

In the Studio: Rajiv Chandrasekaran tapes Overheard 10/29

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Rajiv Chandrasekaran

DATE: Monday, October 29
TIME: 5:15 p.m. (Doors open at 4:45 p.m.)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map).
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now

Author and journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran is the author of the bestselling and widely praised book Imperial Life in the Emerald City, an account of American reconstruction in Iraq. That book makes the most of Chandrasekaran’s time as Washington Post bureau chief in Baghdad in 2003 and 2004. He has a similar understanding of Afghanistan, which is the subject of his new book. Chandrasekaran covered events in that country for The Post from 2009 to 2001 and has just published Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues a third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.

In the Studio: Overheard Diane Ravitch 10/1

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Diane Ravitch

DATE: October 1
TIME: 10:45 am (Doors open at 10:15)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map)
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now

Diane Ravitch is one of the country’s leading thinkers about education. She’s a bestselling author and a former Assistant Secretary of Education, and she routinely speaks out when education is in the news. Ravitch has been a major voice on many of the hottest issues in public education: standardized testing, using test scores to measure teachers, charter schools, collective bargaining by teachers and the recent Chicago teachers’ strike.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.

Be sure to watch past episodes and web-only audience q&a on the Overheard website.

In the Studio: Laurie Anderson 9/21

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Laurie Anderson
DATE: September 21
TIME: 1:30 p.m. (Doors open at 1 pm)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map)
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required.
RSVP now

Laurie Anderson is often described as a performance artist. But that captures only a small slice of her life’s work. Anderson has made paintings, created films, recorded a song that became a pop hit, written poetry invented instruments and served as a NASA artist in residence. She has also described herself as an anthropologist, studying the reactions her work generates. Above all, she is unpredictable and uncategorizable. And that means this should be a fascinating conversation.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.

In the Studio: Joe Nick Patoski 9/19

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith  for an interview with Joe Nick Patoski
DATE: September 19
TIME: 4:15 pm (Doors open at 3:45 pm)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map).
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. 
RSVP now

Joe Nick Patoski has described himself as “Writer, historian, Texan,” three words that capture much of what he loves, and much of what readers love about his work. He’s also a grand storyteller and a sharp observer with a gift for drawing you into almost any subject he picks. You might think the title of Patoski’s new book says it all: The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America. But this is also a history of us and of an era – the 1960s and 1970s, when the Cowboys became America’s Team.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.

In the Studio: Overheard with Gloria Steinem 9/5

Posted on by

UPDATE: We have reached our capacity for this event.

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Gloria Steinem
Date: September 5
Time: 8:15 p.m. (Doors open at 7:45) Doors will close when the taping begins so please arrive on time
Location: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map)
RSVP: we have reached capacity for this event.

Author and activist Gloria Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine in 1972, serving as its editor for twelve years. Her work on behalf of women is well-known. But Steinem has also become involved in many other issues, including the death penalty, child abuse, family violence, caste systems, political issues, and other social issues related to peace and justice. Steinem is in Austin for the statewide Texas Council on Family Violence conference. We thank the TCFV for bringing Steinem to Austin, and we’re honored to have her join us for an interview.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues a second season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview. Watch past episodes at klru.org/overheard

In the Studio: Overheard tapes Gary Johnson 8/17

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Governor Gary Johnson
DATE: August 17
TIME: noon (Doors open at 11:30 am)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A (map).
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now

Johnson is the Libertarian candidate for President, and he’ll be in Austin as part of his campaign. Johnson served as Governor of New Mexico from 1995-2003, running as a Republican after building one of the largest construction companies in the state. During two terms in office, he earned a reputation as a consistent fiscal conservative and a fan of the veto power. Johnson differs from many Republicans on issues including abortion, immigration, the war in Afghanistan and marijuana. He’s also known for being an avid outdoor adventurer who climbs mountains and participates in intense triathlons, mountain bike races and runs. Join us to learn more about his views and his campaign.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith launches our third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in- depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the taping, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview. Be sure to watch past episodes and audience Q&As online at klru.org/overheard

Overheard with Evan Smith: Michael Morton and Leonard Pitts Tapings

Posted on by

We had two tapings for Overheard with Evan Smith on Tuesday, June 26th. Despite the 106-degree heat outside, Smith talked to one of the most cool, calm, and even-keeled guests to date: Michael Morton. Morton was released from prison last year after it was discovered he was innocent of his wife’s murder. He’d spent 25 years behind bars. Smith asked Morton about the challenges of serving time, the murder of his wife, and his eventual release from prison. Throughout the interview, Morton reiterated his disinterest in revenge but expressed a desire to make public officials accountable. Audience members asked Morton about his renewed faith, hopes for the future, threats of violence behind bars, and coping with the death of his wife.  The show will air on July 19th and will be available for viewing online and on the PBS App after that date. Watch the entire audience q&a now:

Michael Morton: Q & A with the Audience from KLRU-TV on Vimeo.

Next, Smith interviewed Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Leonard Pitts. According to Pitts, he has both the best (writing novels) and second best (writing columns) jobs in American Literature today. He discussed his latest novel, Freeman. This work of historical fiction follows a former slave and Union soldier in the months following the Civil War. Beyond historical fiction, Pitts writes columns for the Miami Herald where he challenges readers to think critically about race in America. Smith asked Pitts about the challenges of writing historical fiction, the public’s reaction to the killing of Trayvon Martin, racism in the age of Obama, and the newspaper business. The show will air on July 12th and will be available for viewing online and on the PBS App after that date. Watch the entire audience q&a now:

Leonard Pitts: Q & A with the Audience from KLRU-TV on Vimeo.

About the blogger: Rhiannon Goad is LBJ Public Affairs and Gender Studies graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin. She’s spending her summer interning for KLRU, cooking out, and anticipating Shirley Maclaine’s debut on Downton Abbey.

In the Studio: Leonard Pitts on Overheard 6/26

Posted on by

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith  for an interview with Leonard Pitts

DATE: June 26
TIME: 2 p.m. (Doors open at 1:30 p.m.)
LOCATION: KLRU’s Studio 6A
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now

Readers know writer Leonard Pitts as a novelist and Pulitzer-winning newspaper columnist. His column, written for The Miami Herald, appears twice weekly and addresses a wide range of political and social issues. His column “We’ll Go Forward From This Moment,” written in response to the September 11 attacks, generated more than 30,000 emails. More recently, he has written widely about the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the push to limit the size of sugary drinks sold in New York, the Internet’s effect on our behavior and the issue of voter suppression. Pitts’ new novel, Freeman, was published last month.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues a second season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We’d love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.