Tell Me More

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And now it's time for Backtalk. That's where we lift the curtain on what's happening in the TELL ME MORE blogosphere and hear from you, the listener. Editor Ammad Omar is here once again.

Ammad, what do you have for us today?

AMMAD OMAR, BYLINE: OK, Michel. In just a few minutes we're going to hear the next installment of our Muses and Metaphor series - that's in honor of National Poetry Month and we've been asking listeners to tweet poems in 140 characters or less.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. We're going to head into the Barber Shop in just a few minutes. But first, the latest in our series Muses and Metaphor.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

An Afro-Swedish artist created a cake of a naked black woman. As a statement on female genital mutilation, the artist screamed every time attendees cut into the cake. Host Michel Martin discusses the incident that has sparked outrage with David Landes, editor of Sweden's The Local. Advisory: This segment may not be comfortable for some listeners.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And now we head into the Barber Shop for our weekly visit. That's where the guys talk about what's in the news and what's on their minds.

Sitting in the chairs for a shape-up this week are freelance journalist Jimi Izrael with us from Cleveland. Civil rights attorney and author Arsalan Iftikhar here in Washington, D.C. From Durham, North Carolina, Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal. And in St. Petersburg, Florida, Eric Deggans, TV critic for the Tampa Bay Times.

Take it, Jimi.

The DREAM Act calls for a path to citizenship for some undocumented students. In the past, Republicans have opposed versions of the bill, but some prominent figures like former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales say the GOP needs to find its own voice on the issue. He speaks with host Michel Martin.

Reports that members of the secret service brought prostitutes to their Colombian hotel room have caused a firestorm. The incident has many asking if it's reflective of the agency's culture. Host Michel Martin speaks with former secret service agent Dan Emmett about the latest allegations and his new memoir Within Arm's Reach.

Trisha Meili was brutally beaten and raped while jogging in Central Park 23 years ago. The media frenzy and trial led to the convictions of five young men of color, dubbed "The Central Park Five." They were later found to be innocent. Host Michel Martin discusses the crime and its implications with Sarah Burns, author of a recent book on the case.

As part of Tell Me More's series for National Poetry Month, host Michel Martin shares a poetic tweet from freelance writer and poet Yahia Lababidi. Listeners are invited to tweet original poems of 140 characters or less to #TMMPoetry.

The new romantic comedy Think Like a Man is based on Steve Harvey's advice book that claims to tell women how to out-maneuver men in romance. But even before hitting the box office, the film is causing a stir. Host Michel Martin discusses the movie and the controversy with critic and new Pulitzer Prize winner Wesley Morris.