Tell Me More

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News. Later in the program, we're going to check in with the leader of a group of Catholic nuns who are heading out on a bus tour to protest budget cuts to programs that help the poor - this, even as the Vatican singled them out for paying too much attention to social justice issues, and not enough to social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. We'll ask why they're doing it, and what they say about the Vatican's rebuke. That's our Faith Matters conversation in just a few minutes.

Football may be the nation's most popular sport, but are hard hits on the field ruining players' health and the game's reputation? Host Michel Martin speaks with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith to tackle issues about the league's scandals and safety.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. The Tony Awards are this Sunday. They recognize excellence in American theatre and you might be interested to know that a number of African-American performers and plays that deal with race are nominated for honors, plays such as "Clybourne Park," an edgy take on integration and gentrification in a fictional Chicago neighborhood; and a new interpretation of a classic, the Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess."

Oscar Robertson had his legacy enshrined when he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame back in 1980. But more recently, he began advocating for regular cancer screenings after beating the disease. Robertson shares the tunes that continue to inspire him for Tell Me More's regular series, "In Your Ear."

Recent news of concussions, brain disease and suicides of former pro players have youth coaches rethinking the game of football. Host Michel Martin discusses new questions about safety with youth football coach Kim Deane and high school football coach Jamey Dubose.

Late go-go music legend Chuck Brown had a troubled road to stardom that included time in prison. Host Michel Martin asks whether the America of today still offers the opportunity for redemption that helped Brown find his way.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, a lot of famous people have gotten in trouble for being reckless with the social media tool Twitter, but now the skilful use of the delete key may not be enough to save them if they are running for office or are already a member of Congress. We'll find out why in just a few minutes.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, could raising the retirement age help preserve Social Security? A new study suggested that actually might not work, and could also significantly hurt blue-collar workers. We'll talk about that in just a few minutes.

Freeman Hrabowski was named one of TIME magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World," earlier this year. He heads the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and helped transform the school into one of the country's top institutions in graduating students of color in science, math and engineering. He talks with host Michel Martin.