Growing Pains with Josh Ritter, Martha Plimpton, and Junot Diaz
Last week, WNYC’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Space was packed for Studio 360 Live — a night of stories and music about growing up.
Josh Ritter charmed us with songs from his new album So Runs the World Away. Martha Plimpton performed a beautifully stripped-down version of the Springsteen classic “Thunder Road.” And the very funny Junot Diaz talked about growing up while writing his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: “If you’re asking people to read your book and be transformed by it… basically the book is asking for you to become the person you need to be to write the damn thing. It’s asking you to be transformed in the process.”
We’re broadcasting the radio cut of the show this weekend. Of course, some amazing moments had to be left on the cutting room floor… like Josh Ritter’s beautiful, understated take on “Moon River.”
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.