Kevin Kloss

The recent passing of Alex Trebek, host of America’s favorite quiz show, represents the loss of a major pop culture icon.  The Jeopardy! host most known for his genial style and passion for trivia was a mainstay on television and a 7-time Daytime Emmy award-winner.

On this episode of Pop Life, host Joe Lee speaks with Claire McNear, staff writer at The Ringer and author of the new book Answers In The Form Of Questions: A Definitive History And Insider’s Guide To Jeopardy!  The two speak about Trebek’s success as show host and the impact that Jeopardy! has on American Popular culture.

Rochester-based vocalist Danielle Ponder has an interesting story to tell.  The soulful singer whose touching lyrics often tell stories of pain and injustice was once a defense attorney who spent five years working as a public defender.  Her criminal justice experience inspires her work and she’ll bring her music and message to Syracuse on November 20th when she will perform a virtual concert for the Community Folk Art Center.

Noted actor Sir Thomas Sean Connery passed on October 31, 2020 at the age of 90.  The actor, best known for is role as James Bond, left behind a legacy of work expanding 70 years.  On this episode of Pop Life, Joe Lee is joined by media scholar Bob Thompson of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University to discuss Connery’s body of work and the problematic nature of the James Bond character.  

After losing its last 4 games, Syracuse looks to get back in the win column against a new-look Boston College team. Hosts Owen Valentine and Ben Shulman are joined by Julian Benbow (15:30 - 37:20) and AJ Black (45:55 - 1:01:07) to look into what the Eagles have to offer in 2020.

We've seen them numerous times on television commercials and movies, but how much do we really know about polar bears?  This week on Science on the Radio, Dr. Marvin Druger will tell us how they locate their main food source, how they're being impacted by global warming and more.

The season finale of HBO’s Lovecraft Country left fans shocked and confused.  In this episode of Pop Life, host Joe Lee welcomes Lovecraft County author Matt Ruff back to the show to discuss the divergence of the television series and his novel in an effort to make sense of the series's shocking ending.  

The two compare and contrast the final chapter of the book, The Mark of Cain, to the final two episodes of the HBO series and discuss where the show might go from here.  

Despite a loss to Clemson last week, Syracuse carries some momentum into a Halloween battle with the Demon Deacons. Hosts Owen Valentine and Ben Shulman are joined by Stan Cotten (11:35-39:05) and Conor O'Neill (42:10-1:08:20) to discuss all there is to know about Wake Forest.

The previous episode of City Limits examined efforts in the Syracuse community to use art to heal the emotional wounds created by instances of racial injustice, police brutality, and social unrest.  In that episode, you heard voices of members of the Black Artist Collective, an organized group of black artists dedicated to enhancing the growth and endurance of all Black arts. 

Representatives of the group sat with Joe Lee to explore the intersection of art and activism and their fight to create a permanent seat at the table.