Louisiana Insider: Recent Episodes
Louisiana Insider
A superlative guide to a great state’s destinations, hosted by Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life Magazine.
Each year, Food & Wine magazine shares their list for Best New Chefs in the country. Kelly Jacques – cofounder and chef of Ayu Bakehouse in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans – joins the ranks of Nina Compton, Anna Castro and Nicole Cabrera Mills as a Best New Chef. Jacques started the highly popular bakery following the COVID-19 pandemic and really made a splash on the famous Frenchman Street. In this week's episode, Jacques talks about her mission of bringing joy to the community and those who eat her food, plus what the honor means to her.
In today’s episode, we’re highlighting this year’s Festival Acadien et Creoles in Lafayette with VP of Programming & Development Patrick Mould. The festival, as it’s known today, is in its 51st year of bringing Cajun and Creole culture to the masses. The three-day festival is set to highlight the food, music and art of the region and includes multiple stages, art exhibit and symposium, chef demonstrations and more.
For more information visit festivalsacadiens.com!
Nicole Beauchamp is a world-renowned paranormal researcher with a soft spot for the spirit of the Crescent City. Her recent contribution to the paranormal world is her newest book “Haunted French Quarter Hotels,” where she takes a dive into the history and hauntings of 10 New Orleans hotels. This week, we talk to the author about her new book, her personal paranormal experiences in the city and around the world, as well as the free and open-to-the-public book launch happening Oct. 4 in New Orleans.
For a couple decades West Monroe has played host to the Louisiana Celtic Festival. While northeast louisiana might not strike many as the most celtic areas of the world, the festival brings together those from all over looking to don a kilt and learn more about the rich culture. And for those of us who are part of the “Outlander” fandom, it’s the perfect opportunity to have your own Scottish experience before the premier of the final season.
This week, I’m talking with Courtney Hornsby and Adrienne Lafrance-Wells with the city of west Monroe where they share a little background into the history of the festival, what to expect, events those interested can participate in, and what else to do around west Monroe while you’re in town.
www.facebook.com/NELACelticFest
www.cityofwestmonroe.com
www.monroe-westmonroe.org
This year marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the greater New Orleans area. But, less than a month later, southwest Louisiana was hit by one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record and the biggest storm to hit the area in almost 50 years at that time. For 17 years, Randy Roach served as the mayor of Lake Charles. In 2005, he not only had to take in displaced New Orleanians following Hurricane Katrina, but then make the difficult decisions that came along with a direct hit by Hurricane Rita. This week, we chat with the former mayor about the experience of Hurricane Rita and reflecting back on 20 years later.
Earlier this summer Tom Llamas took over the reigns as the anchor and managing editor of NBC’s Nightly News. A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, and married to a local New Orleanian, the Big Easy has been like a second home for the journalist. I recently interviewed him for our sister publication New Orleans Magazine and recorded the conversation that spanned career, new beginnings and what New Orleans and Louisiana means to him.
Next to the St. Louis Cathedral and the Crescent City Connection, the Superdome is a visual icon of the city, completing the well-known skyline of the Big Easy. Through the ups and downs of football to playing host to the likes of The Rolling Stones and Muhammed Ali, The Superdome has seen the city through many phases since its opening. One, most notable, was the domed building’s role in Hurricane Katrina.
As the home of the New Orleans Saints celebrates its 50th anniversary and we look back on 20 years since Katrina, this episode we’re taking a journey from the beginning with Evan Holmes.
Holmes is the General Manager of the now-named Caesars Superdome, as well as the Smoothie King Center and ASM New Orleans.
Lafayette has been nominated in USAToday’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards for Best Place to Visit for Fall. A contest you can help the city win by voting up until Sept. 8.
This week, Ben Berthelot, president and CEO of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, shares some insight into the culture, food and fun that continue to make Lafayette the place to be – especially this fall – in Acadiana.
Last December, Louisiana Life writer Kevin Rabalais set out in the early morning hours outside of Natchitoches with Richard Armstrong, his daughter Camille, hunting dog Gage and the rest of their crew to go duck hunting.
A hunter his entire life, Richard talks with us about the ins and outs of hunting in Louisiana: the sport of it all, the artistry of the motions and the way hunters are helping with wildlife conservation.
About 30 minutes outside of Covington, sits Isabel, Louisiana in Washington Parish - the now host of a crystal-clear private lake that has officially opened to the public for day passes and cabana bookings. With kayaks, fishing spots, a 3-mile nature walking trail and more, Lake Isabel Farm is shaping up to be the perfect beach day getaway. Owner Anthony Sedlak joins us to chat about the inception of Lake Isabel Farm and the future offerings that are already in the works.
"The Dirty South" recently became available to stream on Amazon Prime and Roku. The 2023 film – staring Shane West, Willa Holland and Dermot Mulroney – was meant to bring a viewers into the small towns that create the South... while adding in a little crime, drama and intrigue that garnered an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film was written and directed by Natchitoches native Matthew Yerby, produced (and staring) New Orleans native Andrew Vogel, with music composition by Abita Springs native Tyler Forrest.
This week's episode talks to the Louisiana men about creating a movie in Louisiana, with Louisianians and for our great state and those small towns that are the backbone of the region.
On July 17, the state officially canceled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project - the biggest coastal restoration project in the country, made possibly by funds from a settlement of the 2010 BP Oil Spill. This week, Pontchartrain Conservancy Executive Director Kristi Trail answers the question as to why the project was cancelled and what many believe this means for the preservation of our state at a whole.
Trail urges those interested in attending meetings, submitting their own plans and more visit the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority website.
Canal Street in New Orleans has a long history of fashion, culture, nightlife and great food. For decades it was a main stop for New Orleans visitors and families alike. In recent years, Canal Street has lost a bit of its glimmer. Sandra Herman is the founder of the Celebrate Canal! Coalition, a citizen-led coalition aimed at revitalizing Canal Street. This week, Herman talks about why it's important to bring people back to Canal Street and how her team is determined to make that happen.
Abi Caswell opened her BATTER, A Bakery in Downtown Hammond in 2022. The self-taught baker went from popping up at local farmer's markets to going viral on TikTok and expanding to open a new shop in New Orleans. Caswell shares her journey with listeners and highlights the value small businesses hold in the city of Hammond.
Follow Caswell's journey, along with her over 285,000 followers, on TikTok here.
The Tunica-Biloxi tribe recently held their 27th annual Pow Wow, which highlighted the tribe's culture and community. Additionally, the Pow Wow marked the opening of the tribe's new Justice Center. In this week's episode, Chairman Marshall Pierite shares insight into the tribe, it's history and more about the Justice Center.
This week, we get a little dose of the Cajun culture with content creators and podcasters Koa Melancon and Sarah O’Pry - better known as the Cajun Mamas.
Melancon and O'Pry rose to fame on TikTok documenting their lives in South Louisiana. From raising kids to preparing for hurricanes and all that's in between, the duo's videos have captured the attention of those all over the country.
This episode talks about what it means to be Cajun and a little insight into how the women got started on social media.
This week, we're headed to the Louisiana state capital. Laura Cating, senior vice president of marketing & communications for Visit Baton Rouge, gives listeners an insight to the history of the city, a little of the lore, plus what to do, where to stay and - most importantly - where to eat when you're here.
On May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was introduced as Pope Leo XIV, the new head of the Catholic Church. Prevost is the first American to be elected as Pope and while that would be enough for American Catholics to celebrate, New Orleanians took the celebration a step farther when local Certified Genealogist and historian with the Historic New Orleans Collection Jari Honora discovered a familial connection between Pope Leo and New Orleans. In this week’s podcast we talk to Honora about the popes connection to the city, what exactly it means to be Creole and Kelly even shares a little of her Creole family background.
In new host Kelly Massicot's first episode, NOWFE Executive Director Aimee Brown shares the ins and outs of a festival that brings together wine connoisseurs and aficionados a like for one week each summer.
Now in its 33rd year, NOWFE hosts a week of events – from grand tastings to labs – each summer, while highlighting what New Orleans does best – hospitality.
In tandem with the new season of sister publication New Orleans Magazine's "Beyond the Beads" podcast, we're launching a crossover episode. Producer, and occasional host, Kelly Massicot talks to Vice producer and storyteller Jackson Garrett. Garrett and Vice will release a new documentary this year highlighting the culture and traditions behind Cajun Mardi Gras. Garrett shares his insight into the celebration and what he hopes viewers learn from his experience.
Louisiana is blessed with several areas of natural wonders including the Gulf of Mexico’s shore and barrier islands, the Kisatchie Forest and the Atchafalaya Basin.
The basin cuts north-south from near Simmesport to Morgan City. Historian Jason Theriot joins host Errol Laborde and podcast Kelly Massicot to talk about this ancient wonderland of swamps, cypress trees, wildlife and native cultures. He also discusses the impact of floods and modern efforts to keep the area rivers on course. Then there are food sources.
What’s the basin’s most popular fish for eating? Here’s a hint, keep a frying pan nearby.
George Rodrigue is one of Louisiana’s all-time important artists, and may be the most important at depicting images of early like in Cajun Culture. He created scenes of celebrations beneath moss laden oak trees; life of the bayou and even Evangeline. Then there is the Blue Dog – a descendent of a family pet and the fictional loup-garou that prowls the swamps. TV producer Sean O’Malley joins host Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his documentary, “Blue; The Life and Art of George Rodrigue.”
Hear about Rodrigue’s genius as an artist and as a marketer both of which contributed to the world’s image of the Cajun life. (And don’t worry about the dog; he’s friendly.)
Ok, here’s a Louisiana Trivia Question: Who originated the state’s motto, “Union, Justice and Confidence?” And why?
Historian Jason Theriot joins host Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his research on the motto’s origin, as well as the historic ideals that the motto was supposed to represent. He also tells stories from his book "Frenchie," about soldiers from Louisiana who spoke the native language in France during World War II.
Here is history from two eras in one conversation. As for the originator of the motto... hint: It was not Huey Long.
Folks in Central Louisiana sometimes refer to their beloved section of the state as “CENLA.” There was a time when some wags might have referred to the city of Alexandria and the area around it as “Sinla.” Historian Michael Wynne joins host Errol Laborde, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about discoveries from researching his new book, "Flaunting their finery and audaciousness: The Notorious Brothels, Gambling Houses, Opium Dens and Saloons of Alexandria (Central Louisiana)."
Wynne has tales to tell about the period from the late 1800's into the World War I era, when some cities had a bawdy reputation that paralleled New Orleans’ famous Storyville.
This discussion is a surprising slice of life that once ran contrary to its bible belt reputation. But part of the story is why it disappeared.
Political analyst Robert Collins joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to talk about the past historic Nov. 5 election. Collins, a political science professor at Dillard University and a political analyst for WVUE TV Fox 8, discusses what was learned from Donald Trump’s election including the domination of the Republican party not only for the presidency but in Congressional elections. He also discusses possible shifts in voting trends especially among Black and Hispanic voters. The discussion raised important questions, particularly in preparation for future elections, including why so many pollsters were wrong.
Journalist Peter Finney Jr.joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his new book, “Drago’s: An American Journey.” It is a compelling story about the Civitanovich family that migrated from Croatia after World War II and the eventual evolution of a great seafood restaurant, Drago’s, best known for its signature dish Charbroiled Oysters. One of the founder’s sons would be known for the dish; the other son would become an emergency medicine specialist and is coroner of Jefferson Parish. It is a story of hard work, ambition and the American dream that started across the ocean.
...If you ever have a chance, try the oysters.
If you have lived in New Orleans for any time at all you have heard about this fellow referred to simply as “Bienville” –although his baptismal name was Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. The native of Montreal gets the credit for founding New Orleans and being the Louisiana territory’s colonial governor as part of the exploits, for the French crown, with his explorer big brother Iberville.
Historian Sally Asher joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about the founder and his many quirks, including a fondness for tattoos and an ability to communicate with local native tribes. Then there is the story about how he once fooled the British. There is a Louisiana parish and a prominent New Orleans street named after him, plus there is a statue in the French Quarter. There are also lots of stories and we will tell a few of them.
It was along Bayou Teche, at St. Martinville, where Evangeline, according of Henry Longfellow’s classic poem, searched for her love Gabriel. The two had been separated by the Acadian expulsion from Nova Scotia. Not far away in Breaux Bridge there is a happier scene at the annual Crawfish Festival when the bounty is served. At New Iberia, Weeks Hall, a renowned artist and photographer, restored Shadows on the Teche a once rundown ante-bellum home that would become a piece of art in itself. The town is also the site of the Bayou Teche Museum, which provides a visual journey down the waterway. Michael Tarantino, a member of the museum’s board, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the 125 mile long bayou, as well as the museum and the surrounding Cajun country. In a state blessed with many bayous, the Teche is one of the most historic and picturesque. Had fate allowed, It would have been a great stream for Gabriel and Evangeline to appreciate many Sunday afternoon pirogue rides.
It is not the most poetic of nicknames but it is backed by science. Author Ned Randolph joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his new book, "Muddy Thinking in the Mississippi River Delta," and his experiences covering the state’s landscape including the river known informally as “The Big Muddy.” Because the Mississippi River drains much of the central part of the continent, the water carries sediments from upriver along the way that in turn has built riverbanks and nourished marshes and swamps and, near the river’s mouth, given the Gulf of Mexico its chocolatey color. It has also built land that would one day give the region, “the blues.” And speaking of colors, the sediment’s rich soil also enriches the land for our indigenous “Creole tomato.” You will likely gain a new appreciation for mud including it being the building substance for the Mississippi Delta region – all the better for sitting on a levee and listening to the blues.
For this the 200th edition of Louisiana Life magazine’s “Louisiana Insider” podcast, we feature the magazine’s most awarded feature writer. Kevin Rabalais has been the first place winner several times as designated by the International Regional Magazine Association (IRMA) for his articles mostly on the outdoors. A 2022 feature on alligator hunting helped the magazine win its second Magazine of the Year award from the association. The native of Bunkie in Avoyelles Parish, who teaches journalistic related courses at Loyola University, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his experiences covering the state’s landscape including his encounters with feral pigs and a visit to a turtle hatchery. He has explored throughout the state although to date he has still not spotted a legendary “Rougarou,” but if anyone gets an interview, it will be him.
You have heard of Basin Street and its blues? Well intersecting that street on the edge of New Orleans’ French Quarter is “Conti,” a street that was part of the neighborhood that gave Basin its reputation because of the surrounding Storyville red-light district.
Storyville has been closed since 1917 but now there is a great new museum that creates an immersive journey into the city’s, and the district’s, past.
Claus Sadlier, the owner/curator of the New Orleans Storyville Museum, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the museum including its virtual visuals, holograms, videos, vintage photographs, narrations and artifacts. Sadlier is also a compelling storyteller with tales to tell about the district – including the music actually played in the bordellos. It wasn’t just the blues.
Presidential politics and energy expert Jay Hakes, a former University of New Orleans Political Science professor, has written a compelling new book about contemporary presidents and their response to environmental issues. He helped organize Jimmy Carter’s Louisiana campaign in 1976 and he would go on to manage the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta for 13 years. As an energy expert, he spent time shaping energy policy for the state of Florida and, under Carter, headed the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Hakes joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his latest book, “The Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics from Eisenhower to Bush,” published by LSU Press. The wide ranging discussion also includes shaping public opinion (such as the awareness of the dangers from second hand cigarette smoke) and the future of electric vehicles. It is high powered conversation.
Sometimes life seems to move in a circle taking its passengers from where they started, to other destinations and then back again.
Some of the literary figures who were regulars at the historic Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans’ French Quarter – like Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams – might have experienced that in their journeys for discovery, or maybe they were just enjoying a great cocktail at an unforgettable bar. Customers at the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar have now been able to explore the circle of life for 75 years. The namesake libation lounge has reached a significant anniversary while still powered by a one-fourth-horsepower motor that enables a full turn every 15 minutes.
Beverage Manager and historian for the hotel, Marvin Allen joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the bar and its signature cocktails including the Vieux Carre, which was created to reflect the culture of New Orleans.
How so? Join the ride to find out.
One evening in 1949, a group of women stormed into the lobby of the majestic Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. They headed straight to the bar and demanded to be served Sazeracs, the house specialty and a New Orleans legendary cocktail. What else could the bartender do? A round of Sazeracs for everyone? The geo-social implication of the event was that prior to that night, women were not allowed in that bar, except – of course – for Mardi Gras Day. But now another barrier was broken. The hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing Cam Rinard joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about to the annual re-creation of the event now known as “Stormin’ of the Sazerac.” The Roosevelt, by the way, had been a favorite hangout for Gov. Huey Long, who enjoyed the bar. The hotel was managed by Long crony Seymour Weiss. That may or may not have anything to do with the “storming” but it does show that there was a lot of colorful history at the hotel. Listen and learn more.
As a former Louisiana Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner and State Senator, Jim Brown has had to cross many rivers including the Mississippi, Atchafalaya, the Red and the Pearl. In his retirement, Brown has had the chance to wade in the Jordan River.
Brown joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to talk about his new book, “Jesus, Jews, Jihad and Me: My Jerusalem Journey.” He visited the holy land last year, a region known for the wisdom of the prophets but where he also learned and sensed something was wrong. The day after he left, the war began.
“Down the River” is more than a variant of a poker game. For the writer it can be a stream for words; for the adventurer it can be a highway past great cities and alongside bountiful wetlands. Boyce Upholt, a prolific author who describes himself as a “nature critic” talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, about his new book, “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi.” The greatest of all the continent’s rivers, the Mississippi River provides life for much of the country’s central section. It is also a source of wealth and concerns; particularly monitoring its levees as well as assuring that the stream does not wander off course. The book includes stories of canoeing down river; the area’s blues heritage; and the challenge of keeping the river environmentally sound. Meanwhile, “ol’ man river he just keeps rollin’ along.”
As a chef, Eric Cook is known forhaving lots of spice and flavor in his creations. The same can be said about his conversations. Cook – who owns Gris-Gris restaurant on Magazine Street in New Orleans’ Garden District, as well as restaurant Saint John located along the streetcar line on St. Charles Avenue near Lafayette Square – has had plenty in the oven lately. That includes relocating Saint John from its original French Quarter location and putting together a book, “Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine.” In an information-rich podcast, Cook talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, about the joys of fishing; the challenges of the restaurant business; the wonders of oysters; why pompano is so special; and how to make “red gravy.” As for his new book, he explains his interpretation of “Modern Creole.”
We know this for sure: It will have a good mix of culture and cuisine.
After traumatic events, such as hurricanes, there are two areas in particular that need damage repair. One is the actual physical destruction and the other can be the psychological damage. A two-part documentary produced and streamed by Louisiana Public Broadcasting deals with both areas. One “Trauma in the Wake of Climate Change” looks at the life strategies for re-building; and the other “After the Storms” examines Lake Charles’ 2020 recovery from Hurricane Laura. Avery White and Ben Johnson, the LPB producers responsible for the two presentations, talk to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, about survival and the ongoing struggles.
There was a time and region where a homerun might have been exclaimed as being a coup de circuit! The added excitement that the ball may have landed in a field such as near the southwest Louisiana towns of Rayne or Crowley (whose teams were the Rice Birds and the Millers) added to the local color. Those were the days of the Evangeline League, a minor but colorful baseball group that played ball mostly west of the Atchafalaya between 1934 and 1957. Historian Brian Altobello joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde along with Producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the league including its stars and its controversies; such as gambling questions and racial issues. Altobello, whose book “Whiskey, Women, and War: How the Great War Shaped Jim Crow New Orleans,” provides great insights into the city’s postwar period also talks about that rugged time. As in baseball, a constant goal was to be safe at home.
Randy Fertel knows how to serve with a sizzle, including on steaks or in life. Fertel, the son of Ruth’s Chris's Steakhouse founder Ruth Fertel (known for her butter-topped sizzling steaks), is an author who is fascinated with ideas. He joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde along with Producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his latest book, "WINGING IT: Improv's Power and Peril in the Age of Trump," which takes a philosophical but fascinating dive into the topic of improvisation as a tool of innovation. Examples abound including the musical "Hamilton" performed in hip-hop. Or his father who once ran for Mayor of New Orleans on the promise of bringing a gorilla to the zoo. (He lost, but delivered anyway.) Also, here’s a chance to learn the truth about just how the steak got its sizzle.
Liz Williams dishes out information about food in several different servings. She is the founder of New Orleans’ Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFab). She has written books about food, the latest being “So Fab Cookbook: Recipes from the Modern South,” and she writes a column about food for Louisiana Life magazine. She also has a podcast called “Tip of the Tongue," and she’s a magician in the kitchen. Williams joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about Southern food and what that term means today and answers questions such as: for gumbo –file or okra? What’s the difference Creole vs. Cajun?
She also reveals what her menu would be if pressed to prepare the ultimate Louisiana meal and what is her favorite comfort food dish. Hint: It’s served with rice.
Few people understand Louisiana, especially its politics, history and issues, better than Robert Mann. He is an author of several books about Louisiana politics, none so close to the topic as his most recent publication, "Kingfish U," a rollicking history of Huey Long and his championing of LSU. Mann has been an insider working for prominent elected officials including Russell Long, John Breaux and Kathleen Blanco, and he has had bylines in newspapers for covering the political beat. Mann joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the condition of the state in the Jeff Landry era. It is a compelling discussion, especially when he analyzes the most serious issue facing the state. He also pronounces his pick of the worst governor ever. And it wasn’t that long ago.
We know, sometimes back pains can be a real pain in the neck, or something like that. Between our extremities and our shoulders muscles get tight, tensions increase. Beth Winkler is a physical therapist who worked at a hospital where she specialized in outpatient care and developed her own ideas about how to make therapy more compassionate. She now operates her own business, Magnolia Physical Therapy, and has stories to tell. Winkler joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the healing power of the mind and techniques such as visualization. She knows the issues from first experience. She even learned to cure herself from a concussion. Therapy, of course, frequently involves using your head, even for a neck ache.
This week, producer Kelly Massicot is taking on the role as host to talk to New Orleans culinary icon Poppy Tooker about a special cocktail that got its start in the Crescent City.
Thanks to her obsession with the Apple TV+ show "Palm Royale," where The Grasshopper acts as one of the stars, Massicot enlists Tooker to share her knowledge into the history of both one of the city's oldest restaurants and a cocktail that has been a crowd pleaser since 1918.
What other drink was Tooker surprised to find the recipe for hidden in the back of a picture frame? Listen to find out!
Insurance is supposed to provide security; in Louisiana it has become a crisis. We hear stories of homeowners being challenged to pay house notes because of the growing costs of home insurance. Automobile rates have increased, too, and what about health costs? Jim Brown who served as a Louisiana state senator, Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner (1991- 2000) joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about a volatile industry. He also explains why rates tend to be less in neighboring Mississippi and offers his suggestion of an important change for the Insurance Commissioner’s office. Rate payers should be aware.
Imagine Louisiana without French. Even if you don’t hear it often, you know that it is there and part of the state’s history, culture and even its music and food. Well, it could have happened. In 1925 a state law was passed which, in effect, forbade the teaching of the French language in Louisiana. Perhaps the language was seen as being a stigma, but the law was certainly a mistake. In the years to follow, an effort was started to rescind the law and, to the contrary, embrace the language with its variations including Cajun and Creole. Mavis Arnaud Fruge, who is credited with starting the state’s French revival movement, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to tell her story. Joining her are filmmakers Bill Rodman and Flo Rodman whose documentary about the revival, “Mavis: One Simple Sentence,” has recently been released by Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
With efforts such as CODIFIL and French immersion schooling the drive to save the language has gotten stronger. Why is French Important? The producers and Fruge make their case. To that we say, ”Merci.”
Here is a dash of chicory for your daily podcast listening. The Louisiana-based Community Coffee company is now in its 105th year. Headquartered in Baton Rouge with facilities in New Orleans, Community is the largest family-owned and operated retail coffee brand in the country and a top selling brand not only in Louisiana but throughout the South.
Matt Saurage, the fourth generation owner and Chairman of Community, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to tell the story of the company’s 1919 origin in founder Cap Saurage’s Baton Rouge grocery store. Cap was so fascinated with mixing coffee blends he decided to enter the business, which now imports beans from Central America and Africa. Matt also talks about the company’s signature dark roast brand and he offers a defense for chicory, which is more than an extender but offers its own flavors and which he always drinks straight up.
In addition to coffee roasting, Community lives up to its name by having a history of making community contributions.
It is a conversation that is full bodied and never decaffeinated.
Louisiana was the location for the very first Tarzan movie, back in 1917 when actor Elmo Lincoln swung from the trees near Morgan City where the Atchafalaya Swamp played the role of Africa. Louisiana has produced many more settings including for the early burlesque comedians Abbott and Costello whose rocket flight to mars misfired and they landed in New Orleans where the day happened to be Mardi Gras and they mistook the street maskers for martians.
Alfred Richard, a film critic whose gigs include a weekly appearance of WWL TV’s morning news and frequent appearance on WYES TV’s “Steppin' Out” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the local movie scene. We will also hear the podcast staff’s comments on "Barbie" and, as a bonus, Richard’s experience in the role of “Chocolate Thunder” as one of the longtime member of the 610 Stompers. It is fun conversation worthy of a movie.
No sports figure represent mores of an emotional tug of war than Steve Gleason. It was he that, on the glorious night in 2006 when the New Orleans Saints returned to the Superdome after being away for a season because of the damage done by Hurricane Katrina, blocked a punt in the first two minutes of the national televised game that gave the Saints a touchdown. They never looked back the entire game. Gleason’s now legendary big play is even immortalized in a statue outside the Dome. But Gleason’s story also represents one of life’s blocks since he contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known commonly as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Times-Picayune reporter Jeff Duncan joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde along with Producer Kelly Massicot to talk about "A Life Impossible: Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom Within a Fragile Existence," the book he has co-authored with Gleason who now communicates through an eye-blink sensitive computer software system. Gleason’s story is one of heroism, including that of his wife Michel, and his family. Duncan weaves it all together beautifully. It is a story that must be told, read about and certainly, through the podcast, listened to.
Ramon Vargas, a former reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune and now an editor/reporter for the London-based publication The Guardian, has for several years been covering sex scandals mostly between adult educator authority figures and school age youth. Most of his work has centered around the Roman Catholic church in the New Orleans area but has wider implications. Recently, information released by the Louisiana State police who gained access to what has been private documents, has opened shocking revelations of new charges many made by alleged former victims. Vargas joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about what was learned from the affidavits including what church officials might have known but not revealed.
Don’t you hate it when three alligator brothers will not listen to each other when trying to find a safe place to build a home? The reason: Well, two of the brothers, Bumpy and Lumpy, ignore the other brother, Stumpy, who they think has a big mouth and who always reminds his siblings that he knows better. If you think Stumpy has problems, there is a story about Wilbur, the neighborhood sheep, who is ignored because his ideas are always very unsheep-like. Such is a day in the menagerie of Leslie (Hebert) Helakowski, a Lafayette native who divides her time in Michigan writing nationally-acclaimed children’s books – 15 so far. She joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with Producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the art of appealing to children through story telling. Will anyone ever listen to Lumpy? And does Wilbur have any credibility at all? These and other questions can be answered by getting to know Leslie and her books.
In 1984, New Orleans hosted the Louisiana World’s Exposition, known more simply as the world’s fair. Through the years the evaluations have been similar – the fair was financially challenging but the locals loved it. Peggy Scott Laborde, a producer for public TV station WYES, was at the time a co-host and producer for WDSU TV Ch. 6’s coverage from the fair. She has since done a documentary on the event, as well as a follow-up featuring some of the people involved with the event. She joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to recall the fair’s many great memories as well as the hardships. The interview also looks into the future and at the possible great legacies from the fair still ahead.
Secretive Men’s organizations –º such as the Free Masons, Elks, Odd Fellows and many more – did not originate just for the sake of privacy. In many cases they had a social purposes such as providing health and security benefits for themselves at a time when neither government nor private enterprise provided much of either. Some groups were also a source of business and social connections.
Jari Honora, an historian and genealogist who curated an exhibit for the Historic New Orleans Collection entitled Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the organizations, which had a strong presence in New Orleans as well as globally.
In New Orleans and Mobile the structure of the groups even had an influence on Carnival krewes. The groups also left a strong architectural presence either through their lodges; office buildings and memorial sites. The interview offers a rare opportunity to peer inside the world of secrecy.
Louisiana’s longest running weekly news TV program celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. During that time topics have included the Katrina recovery; the David Duke vs. Edwin Edwards gubernatorial runoff; a World’s Fair; the ups and downs of the economy; crime and even the Saints magical season. Marcia Kavanaugh, the WYES TV show’s longtime host, joins Errol Laborde, the program’s producer as well as "Louisiana Insider" host and executive editor of Louisiana Life, to discuss 40 years of big stories as well as top newsmakers.
Words are for reading, but sometimes it is good to pause and have a word or two about words themselves: how they are used; where they have taken us. Louisiana Life magazine Editor Reine Dugas joins Louisiana Life’s Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss Southern literature and who have been some of the best practitioners. They also discuss the art of writing, as well as the future of the book industry and some of their own writing tips.
(They might have added a list of cliches that should be avoided “like the plague.”)
Just having survived in New Orleans as a poor French Jewish immigrant was a major accomplishment for young Leon Godchaux. But having lived a life in his adopted city where he eventually opened his own department store, mastered the use of the newly-invented sewing machine for better clothes quality and then to establish a major sugar refinery upriver from New Orleans – which would be a model or the rest of the sugar industry – was a life well lived.
Peter M. Wolf, the author of “Sugar King: Leon Godchaux: A New Orleans Legend; His Creole Slave and His Jewish Roots,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the history of an amazing man who also secretly purchased a Creole slave in order to liberate him, and would later become a business partner.
Wolf also reveals what happened to the engine for Godchaux's train that was used to haul items throughout the refinery. Hint: In was relocated to a major theme park.
Louisiana is a state full of images: the swamps, New Orleans, Mardi Gras, sunsets over the Gulf, shrimp boats, musicians and you can add a touch of Voodoo. Longtime curator for The Historic New Orleans Collection John Lawrence joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss the history of photography as presented in the collection’s must-have new publication, “Louisiana Lens.” The book is filled with fascinating images dating back from the early days of “metal, paper and glass” photography to the present digital explosion. Lawrence also recalls some of his all-time favorite photographs.
Sally Asher is a historian, photographer and tour guide who specializes in the bawdy days of the early 20th century in New Orleans and the life and death of the Storyville bordello district.
Asher joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss how the city adapted to two major concerns of the times: prostitution and boozing. In both cases New Orleans has its own creative solutions.
As a photographer she also has fascinating stories to tell including the time when the Dali Lama met Dr. John and who was most impressed with whom.
Even in the worst of times great stories about compassionate people emerge. Stories such as the case of Julius Rosenwald, who in the tense days pf the early 19th Century was concerned that kids from African American families in the South were denied educational opportunities because of segregation laws. Rosenwald, who had achieved wealth at the managerial level of the Chicago based Sears and Roebuck company, became a major philanthropist and used much of his wealth to fight social problems. He cooperated with educator Booker T. Washington to help fund schools throughout the South that gave opportunities to minorities. Kenneth Hoffman, the executive director of the New Orleans-based Museum of the of Southern Jewish Experience, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to tell the story of the Rosenwald schools, a movement that was eventually responsible for approximately 5000 new two-classroom schools. Of the schools built in Louisiana one building, in Donaldsonville, still stands and is used as a museum with an incredible story to display.
As a former TV news anchor, Warren Bell reported news of the day. Now in retirement, Bell is discovering news from the past and his sources are archives and cemeteries. Bell joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss his new documentary “Buried History: Finding Our Past.” The story centers around St. Louis Cemetery # 2 where he discovered a deteriorating family tomb. That began a search for family records and also an investigation of the old cemetery, which once was the burial place of mixed family groups including African-American Creoles. Not only did he learn much about his roots, but also links to others, including early musicians who were entombed there.
Bell also discusses the research options available to those who want to learn more about their families and the business side of cemeteries.
Louisiana has always been known as a great state for news. The news itself my not have always been great but the flow of reporting on the politics, disaster, lifestyles and good times within a multi-cultural state has been continuous. Jari C. Honora, historian and genealogist for the Historic New Orleans Collection, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to talk about the evolution of newspapers in the state including the rise of publications targeting the black community and the challengers of the modern news media.
Rubensteins New Orleans has always been a place to shop for quality clothes. Now, the New Orleans business provides a quality place to stay.
Located at Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, Rubensteins has long shown a commitment to the city’s downtown. That support has been further expressed by combining some of its adjacent buildings into a new quality boutique hotel.
Family member Kenny Rubenstein, an owner and general manager of the store, talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and producer Kelly Massicot about retail, urban downtowns and customer loyalty. He also explains the intricacies of running two businesses that not only provide a place to spend your day, but to end your day as well.
This week's episode is a crossover with sister podcast "Beyond the Beads" from New Orleans Magazine. Since the early 20th Century, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club has been a prominent figure in Carnival culture. From the meeting of the Courts every Lundi Gras to throwing their famous coconuts each Mardi Gras day, Errol and Elroy tackle all aspects of the krewe both in and outside of the Carnival season.
John Burke knows about swamps. He spends time living close to the Atchafalaya swamp near Patterson, Louisiana. Earlier in his career he was involved in a business of making caviar from the roe of the choupique, a native fish whose eggs have some of the similar properties properties usen in European caviar. Now he gives swamp tours. His company, Cajun Encounters, not only takes everyday tourist into the swamps, but media celebrities too, such as Troy Landry, the star of the "Swamp People" TV series.
Burke talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde about life in the swamps; the beauty and the creepiness.
We will also hear about the estimates that there are 2 million gators living in Louisiana. Now that’s creepy.
Why are people from Louisiana leaving? Well, not all of them are, but there has been a subtle decline enough to make people wonder. “Jobs” is usually the answer, but there is some good news for the future, including in the energy- and tech-based industries. Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. (a nonprofit agency dedicate to economic development), talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde about both the challenges and the successes of the Gulf South region.
We will also hear why Houston and Atlanta developed so quickly from once being relatively small southern towns to national economic giants.
Dennis Woltering had a long and distinguished career as the nightly news anchor on WWL tv, Ch. 4. Since retiring, he is still frequently in front of a camera and has lots of stories to tell.
Acting as an independent producer, he has created documentaries of high-profile locals, including career healthcare pioneer Alton Ochsner and float builder Blaine Kern. (Both were shown on local public tv’s WYES tv., Ch. 12. )
His very latest effort (also on WYES) is “Louisiana Inventors and Innovators,” six profiles of imaginative locals who had big ideas and made them work. The documentary includes stories like drilling for deep water oil; a better way to peel shrimp and even selling lightweight vacuum cleaners.
Woltering talks to Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde about his latest project. Producer Kelly Massicot handles the technical effort.
Here’s a listening tip: You will also hear how a steak got its sizzle.
There are lots of questions raised by numbers; fortunately, many answers have been found. Allison Plyer, chief demographer for the New Orleans-based Data Center, looks at both sides including analyzing why Louisiana’s population is declining and why there is still a large presence of handgun use.
This week, Plyer shares her thoughts with Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with the technical expertise of producer Kelly Massicot.
Plyer also specializes in analyzing critical Gulf Coast environmental issues. It is important conversation that should not be missed.
Arguably, no one knows Louisiana food better than Stanley Dry. Having served 21 years of writing the food column for Louisiana Life – as well as having been a contributor to national publications including Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times and the Times’ Book review – Dry, who is retiring from writing, also provided the recipes for a published Louisiana Life recipe collection, “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook. ” He joined Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk food and recipes of many types including his favorites in several categories.
It is an engaging interview that covers his experiences at table sides and in his own kitchen and gardens, plus he revels his favorite Louisiana themed dinner. Listen closely and you can hear about his top choice fish dish and a surprise ingredient for crawfish boil.
Gordon “Nick” Mueller once had a conversation with Stephen Ambrose, a history professor colleague at the University of New Orleans. What Ambrose had to say would make history itself. He proposed a project to build a museum focused on the Normandy D-Day invasions. Taking advantage of the university’s lakefront location – which would be used to test the Higgins landing boats used in the invasion – plus Ambrose’s volumes of interviews on the war, the idea seemed like a natural. From that day, Mueller’s career took a new track toward his own landing as the founding President and CEO of what would eventually be called The National World War II Museum.
Now regarded as one of the nation’s best museums and ranking high in attendance, the museum project that Ambrose envisioned, like the Normandy invasion, was a success tough with a heavy drama an obstacles along the way.
Mueller joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the war and the new book he co-authored, along with research historian Kali Matin Schick, entitled “Building the National WWII Museum.”
There are lots of stories in the interview including that of Ambrose’s reaction the first time he saw a personal screening of his book, “Saving Private Ryan” having been made into a movie.
Louisiana has a rich literary history. All authors conduct interviews as part of their craft, but only one wondered what it would be like to interview a vampire. As another Louisiana author, Kate Chopin, might have said about Anne Rice’s vampire book, it was an awakening.
Peggy Scott Laborde, a producer and documentary maker for public television station WYES tv in New Orleans joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about her latest documentary, “Literary New Orleans.” The program opens the book on some of the best works from the Louisiana literary scene. We will also hear about why Tennessee Williams changed the name of the play he was working on from “The Poker Night” to “Streetcar named Desire.”
When driving into Baton Rouge, one can be amazed by the object in the distance that looks like a rocket ship on a launch pad about to take off. The building, of course, is the state capitol, the tallest of all such buildings in the country and a monument to Huey Long, whose ambition always seemed to be reaching for the stars.
“A Tall Order: The Louisiana State Capitol,” a documentary produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, tells the story of the building’s history and architecture. Both are imposing. Dorothy Kendrick, the documentary’s producer, and Steve Losavio, an architect with the Louisiana Division of Administration, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to tell stories about the building and the artistic genius behind it.
But there has been tragedy, too. The building’s first floor is the site where Long was assassinated. (There is a memorial park across the street.)
On a happier note, listen closely and you will also hear a tip on why all visitors should take a trip to the 27th floor.
Jessica Harris has twice won James Beard Foundation awards, including one for Lifetime achievement. Rather than just being in the kitchen, she has proved herself to be especially skilled at blending sentences and paragraphs and then seasoning the mix with a generous heaping of knowledge to create fresh culinary history.
For one of her recent books, “High on the Hog” she went to Africa to discover some of the links between African cooking and classic American dishes. Her Netflix series based on the book was so successful that a second season has been produced. Harris, who lives in Brooklyn but also has a residence in New Orleans – itself a destination for Afro/Caribbean/European/Cajun fusion, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the culinary discoveries that are part of cooking.
She also discusses the cross-cultural origins of savory words such as gumbo and jambalaya.
Suppose your job is to take care of a tiger – a real tiger with jaws and claws and that is physically fit. David G. Baker is a veterinarian who for several year had the responsibility of overseeing the most recent cats who have been the Louisiana State University mascot. This week, Baker joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss his book "Mike: The Tigers of LSU." He talks not just about the life of a mascot, but also offers fascinating insights into the animals themselves, such as how they differ in lifestyles and psychology from other wild felines including lions and panthers. He also describes Mike’s luxurious habitat on the LSU campus and the inside story of what it takes to feed a tiger.
One of the great green spaces in America is New Orleans’ City Park. In 2005, the flood waters from Hurricane Karina turned it into a gray space that was muddied, overcome with fallen trees, deprived of joy and hope. Robert Becker, the park’s former CEO, faced the task of rebuilding the park with no funding and most of the park’s employees having to be released. He succeeded. Becker, author of the new book "New Orleans City Park: From Tragedy to Triumph," joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about a great urban revival. We will also hear about historic disasters, in different centuries, that ultimately helped re-build the park.
Did you know? City Park is 50 percent larger than New York’s Central Park.
Who better to talk about the Day of the Dead celebration than a Vodou priestess? Also known as Día de los Muertos, the celebration has different roots than Vodou, which worked its way through Haiti. It is also Hispanic in origin. Yet both have a mystique with rituals and traditions that commemorate life and death. Sallie Ann Glassman an ordained Vodou priestess whose duties include conducting the annual St. John’s Eve celebration on Bayou St. John and who operates the Island of Salvation Botanica.
From her store at the Healing Center in Bywater, Glassman joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to delves into the season’s mysteries. She will also explain if there is a spiritual connect between Día de los Muertos, Halloween and All Saints Day all of which are celebrated as the calendar gradually approaches the dark days of winter.
Barbara Sillery has her favorite haunts, not just to visit but to write about. She has written several books about hauntings including in Louisiana, Mississippi (as well as its Delta country), Cape Cod and Nantucket. Sillery joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, with stories to tell.
Sillery, a longtime resident of New Orleans, now lives on Cape Cod, where the ghosts might not have lived on plantation but sometimes as sea captains.
In 1873, though little known throughout the state, the Shreveport area suffered one of the greatest tragedies in Louisiana history. The region faced what is recorded as the third largest Yellow Fever epidemic in the nation’s history. In the course of three months there was an estimated 1,200 victims, approximately 1/4 of the city’s population.
Cheryl White, a history professor at LSU-Shreveport, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, in commemoration of the incident’s 150th anniversary. White tells about the mass grave, which contains the remains of approximately 800 victims, some never identified. There are many stories including the tragedy of five Louisiana-based priests who went to Shreveport to comfort the stricken and who became victims themselves. There is now an organized effort to have the Vatican canonize (declare to be saints) the priests.
It is a story that should have a center place in Louisiana history.
Jim Brown has had quite a career including terms as Louisiana’s Secretary of State; Insurance Commissioner and a state senator. He is also a publisher, a columnist and a font of knowledge about the state and its politics.
Brown joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about several topics including why college sports has, in fact, become professional; his thoughts on allowing TV coverage of trials; the state's insurance crisis, and what he hoped to discover during a recent trip to the holy land. It is conversation from an active mind at its best.
Millions of people listen to music on the radio. Over a half million people listen to radio each week to hear Nick Spitzer talk about music. Spitzer’s pioneering broadcast American Routes is way more than a D.J. spinning songs but a weekly two-hour public radio program that presents the breadth and depth of the American music scene and cultural landscape.
Syndicated by 225 radio stations American Routes is the most widely heard regular presence for tradition-derived and community-based music on public radio today. Spitzer joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about the origins and characters of the nation’s many music forms. He also has interview clips including Jerry Lee Lewis; Willie Nelson and the late zydeco artist Clifton Chenier. The podcast presents a fun side trip into American routes.
A teenager named Abraham Lincoln was once part of the crew of a packet boat bringing goods downriver to New Orleans. As they approached the city they camped on the river banks up shore from New Orleans. There were rough characters who worked along the river. That night, young Lincoln and his group were attacked and beaten up. Fortunately, for history's sake, he survived and made it to New Orleans where he had another experience that also favored history’s sake.
He saw the city’s slave markets and was appalled. What he saw in New Orleans influenced his attitude about slavery that would shape his political career.
Author and professor Ted Widmer will moderate a panel, including New Orleanians Richard Campanella (who has written about the above Lincoln story) and the author C. W. Goodyear, titled “Hail to the Chief, New Orleans and the American Presidency.” Goodyear is the author of a new book about James Garfield.
Widmer joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about presidents who spent time in the city either earlier before their time in office or as incumbents. It is a fascinating conversation a president whose reputation was made in New Orleans.
Whenever polls are taken of Louisiana’s most popular restaurants Commander’s Palace in New Orleans is usually near or at the top. That’s quite an accomplishment for a state already known for its great restaurants.
Ti Martin, co-proprietor of Commander’s Place, and Executive Chef Meg Bickford join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to stir into topics including Louisiana-grown products – the quality and availability, plus, revelations about the classic Brennan’s family style of service. (Did you know: At least three people work each table.) Bickford is a rising star whose resume includes apprenticing with Chef John Folse; Martin is an established leader in the restaurant community.
We also ask the two to reveal their favorite at-home comfort foods.
There are thousands of hurricane stories. Some stories are tragic, others are heroic and many are truly compelling, especially for podcast listening. A documentary recently released by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the statewide public broadcast system, entitled “Cajundome City” tells the story of how a college sports arena suddenly became the center of survival in the 2005 aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and then Rita. Trent Angers, a Lafayette-based author and book publisher who served as a co-producer of the documentary, and father and son co-directors Chris and Christopher Allain join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about the compassion of the Lafayette community and the challenges of the effort. We will also hear about the University of Louisiana Lafayette celebrating its 125 anniversary and the successful dealmaking behind its creation.
Remember the comedian George Carlin? In 1958, when he was an airman at nearby Barksdale Air Force Base, his first appearance on a stage was in Shreveport. Carlin was the star of the Shreveport Little Theatre’s production of “The Happiest Millionaire.” That is one of the many surprising facts about the theater which, in another surprise, celebrated its centennial in 2022. Robert Darrow, the theater’s managing and artistic director, as well as Sherry Kerr, a Shreveport-based drama consultant, writer and actress, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the theater – which Life Magazine once dubbed as one of the top three community playhouses in America. The history of the theater and its stars has been produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting as a documentary entitled “Maker of Dreams.” (Check LPB Passport and streaming options.) Among the stories is that of a Shreveport native who auditioned for a role in the original making of “Gone With the Wind” and what happened to her career.
There are two things, among many, that we all need to do – eat, and be fit. The problem is that sometimes doing one contradicts the other.
Fortunately, there are some dietitian who keep and eye on that sort of thing and who have the connections to help us walk the thin line. Molly Kimball is a one person fitness information boutique. She administers the popular Eat Fit programs for Ochsner hospitals; has several books on fitness recipes (including one about booze); she makes television appearances and has her own podcast.
Speaking of which, she joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, for our own podcast to talk about eating tips and health. She also spills the beans on breakfast and is it always the most important meal of the day.
If you confuse the Louisiana Children’s Museum for a boat permanently docked alongside a small bay that is understandable. The museum, located in New Orleans’ City Park, is a masterpiece of whimsical design and learning creativity. It is as much fun as it is educational – and there is plenty of both.
Tifferny White, the museum’s CEO joins, Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the museum not only as a great place for young and older to visit, but also as an important tool in early childhood education. We will also hear about the imaginative food choices created by a prominent restauranteur and the splendid views created by nature.
New Orleans was once a fertile area for developing championship boxers. Mainly because of the large Italian immigration many of the boys who came from poor families and grew up in tough neighborhoods were attracted to boxing. Not only were the skills a matter of survival, but they could also be a way, for some, to fame and wealth. One example was Tony Canzoneri who grew up in the New Orleans area, eventually moved to New York City where he ultimately won several boxing championships.
Ramon Antonio Vargas, who has seen the tough side of life as a former crime reporter for the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde to talk about his new book "Family, Gangsters & Champions: Boxer Tony Canzoneri's Life & World."
We will also hear about Canzoneri’s New Orleans experiences in the ring and about his brief effort operating a bar.
Who would have thought that there would be a working farm on Jackson Avenue right in the heart of Uptown amid the mansions and the magnolias?
Well, there is, and it is more than tomato plants stuck in the ground but all kinds of vegetables and fruits grown scientifically—all part of the urban farm movement . Michael Richard, farm director for Recirculating Farms – a non-profit group committed to being ecologically resourceful yet bountiful in its produce – joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about how serious farming can be developed in urban neighborhoods. He also explains the process and benefits of water recirculation.
When hurricanes rumble from the Gulf, the high winds and storm surges sometimes re-locate unwilling sea mammals into surrounding land masses and waterways. That happened after Hurricane Ida in 2021, which displaced a dolphin into a bay near Grand Isle.
While the bay water was ecologically sound to support the new arrival, it offered no access to the Gulf. With the cooperation of several sea life specialist, plans were made to re-locate the mammal who during the interim had delivered a calf that swam at her side.
Gabriella Vazquez, the Audubon Nature Institute’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding and Rehab Coordinator, joinsLouisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the tale of a relocation that required scientific knowledge, skill, strong backs and good hearts.
We will also hear what the staff named the two dolphins and how researchers are able keep up with their whereabouts.
In 2010, during the time that Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was Plaquemines Parish’s President, the BP Oil Spill took place. He became immersed in the issue, so much that the national media referred to him as the “Face of the Spill.” As Lt. Gov., Nungesser has additional battles including developing and promoting tourism.
Nugesser joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to express strong feelings about diversion projects as well as attracting visitors to the state. We will also hear about his recent trip to Australia and New Zealand.
Fifty years ago there was a tragic fire in New Orleans’s French Quarter at a bar with a largely gay clientele called the Upstairs Lounge. There were 32 deaths. Documentary maker Royd Anderson joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the disaster, which had a galvanizing effect on the gay community. The suspected arsonist, who himself was gay, reportedly admitted to a couple of people that he had set the fire. He would later commit suicide. Investigations would show that his action was not anti-gay but touched off by another incident. The fire was one of several in the French Quarter’s history and the most deadly. Hear about what was learned from the incident.
If the subject is restaurants don’t call Stanley Dry; if the subject is kitchens, then he’s your man. Dry is the long time writer of the “Kitchen Gourmet” column for Louisiana Life magazine. He has also authored cookbooks; two of which; “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook” and the “Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook” were published by this magazine's parent company, Renaissance Publishing. He has written for national publications including The New York Times; Food and Wine Magazine and Travel & Leisure. And today, he is the guest for this podcast talking about vegetables that grow in his backyard, Louisiana blue crabs, shrimp and seasonal desserts. Dry joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot with emphasis on summer cooking. We will also hear about the science, evolution and preparation of soft shell crabs.
Oh, he also bakes, but that is mostly in the cold months...
We learn history for several perspectives including political, social and military, but to really understand a place and the influences that shaped it, we need to hear from a geographer as well. Richard Campanella, a Tulane University research professor, combines the thoroughness of an academic with the communications skill of a popular journalist. Campanella joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the geography that made the New Orleans region. His books have dealt with the area’s cityscape; the Westbank and even Bourbon Street. His latest publication, “Draining New Orleans,” details the brilliant engineering that made it possible for a city to exist where much of it is below sea level.
We will also hear about the invention that made dairy farms possible.
One person who most identifies a city is its mayor. There are council members, legislators, judges, sheriffs and police chiefs, but it's the mayor who usually, for better or worse, is in the best position to direct the future.
Friday Ellis, the first term mayor of Monroe, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about not just his city but also the vision of the state from his perspective and that of other City Hall colleagues. We will also hear about serious plans for AMTRAK rail service and downtown revival. Mayor Ellis’ wife Ashley also joins the conversation. The Monroe First Lady is a member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education making them Northeast Louisiana’s ultimate power couple.
LSU is known for its achievements on the playing field and in the classroom, but before any of that could happen there were political battles and maneuvers to grow the university and to make it nationally prominent. Chief among the maneuverers was Huey Long who, during the seven year span when we he governor then Senator until being assassinated in 1935, made the university a personal cause.
Robert Mann, a historian, author and a political consultant joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his book, “KINGFISH U: HUEY LONG AND LSU.” More than just telling the story about the evolution of a university, the book provides a fascinating study of the state and its politics.
We will also hear about the time that the LSU student body watched the Tigers play Vanderbilt. Only to do it, Long arranged to ship the students to Nashville by train.
There is a crop that is grown here in Louisiana that is not found anywhere else in the world. Even in Louisiana it is a rarity sprouting from the ground in only one parish. Perique tobacco has been cultivated in Louisiana for as long as there have been settlers, who learned techniques from the native tribe. The crop grows only in St. James Parish, where Convent is the manor town. Mike Matherne, whose family own one of the 25 perique farms, tells the story about the growth and fermentation of the plant. He joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about perique’s use as a flavorful condiment to mix with other tobaccos used in cigars and pipes.
Why does it only grow in St. James Parish? You will have to listen. Hint: it has to do with what is below the soil.
When ordering, one might wonder why the cup in which their coffee is served has an image of the devil on the outside or, especially, why the coffee when poured into a serving bowl is on fire. The real jolt is yet to come as the server ladles Café Brulot into the bedeviled cup. There is a rich history, much tracing back to France, in which ingredients were burnt and mixed with seasonings before being enriched by another liquid. Café Brulot is the most famous example, and few cities do it better and in more different places, than New Orleans.
Author Sue Strachan, who specializes in food, drink and other cultural quirks, joins Executive Editor of Louisiana Life Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her book, “The Café Brulot.” More than just telling stories of the drink itself, Strachan provides a history of some of the ingredients – such as cloves and oranges – and of restauranteurs and bartenders who popularized the drink.
We will also her about a famous pirate – OK, a privateer – who might have taken a few sips of the burning booze himself.
In the years prior to the passage of the federal Civil Rights Bill, the responsibility of offering higher education to Black students went to a few segregated universities. After the bill passed the doors were open and Black students were allowed to apply to any of the state’s other universities. Still, though legally integrated, the once all Black universities maintained a mission providing, what some in the Black community was better social and educational environments. Consisting in Louisiana of the Southern University system (with campuses in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and a Baton Rouge law school); plus, under the separate University of Louisiana system Grambling University, each is a state-run facility. There are also two private universities, Dillard and Xavier, in New Orleans. All those schools are collectively referred to as HBCU, Historically Black Colleges and Universities.An extended exhibit at the Capitol Park Museum, a division of the Louisiana State Museum, has opened in Baton Rouge to tell the stories of the struggles and successes of the schools. Michael McKnight, Deputy Director of Louisiana State Museums, and Rodneyna Hart, the museum’s director, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the history of the HBCU.
French is perhaps one of the most beautiful languages. It is also a vital part of Louisiana’s history. Through the effort of some dedicated individuals looking to preserve our culture, we have the opportunity to hear more of the language and various local dialects. Because of the organization Télé-Louisiane, a language revival will also be part of the history of Louisiana. Will McGrew, chief executive officer and co-founder of Télé-Louisiane, and Caitlin Orgeron, the organization’s chief operating officer, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about promoting the language through the legislature, video series, the power of social media and more.
Catch their program "La Veillee," a weekly statewide series on Louisiana Public Broadcasting spoken entirely in French and hosted by Orgeron, each Thursday at 7:45 p.m.
Vive la langue!
Chris Thomas King has been close to the blues all his life. His is the son of a legendary blues musician, Tabby Thomas, who operated a blues club in Baton Rouge. King has excelled not only on guitar, but also as a performer whose movie credits include the quirky “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” and the biofilm “Ray” about Ray Charles in which King also served as a music consultant working with Charles. King joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his Grammy awards, blues style and most of all his book, “The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music And Culture.”
He also explains why defining the blues might be different than from what you think.
No, it is not Creole, but it is a dialect of French spoken largely in rural south Louisiana and commonly by Blacks and Native tribes. Linguist and performer Clif St. Laurent joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about this language that developed in the Colonial era and that still survives.
He also discusses the recently produced “Tambou” the first film spoken in Kouri-Vini. Hear about the film character’s struggle to save himself and about the efforts to preserve the language.
Here are some questions about our native jambalaya that you might not have thought about, but should:
Is our native jambalaya an offshoot of Spanish paella?
Is seafood jambalaya more of a casserole since jambalaya originated as a meat dish?
These and other questions are pondered by tailgate chef Jay Ducote, who knows so much about the right way to make jambalaya that the state and a seasonings manufacturer pay him to travel the South to do demonstrations at fairs and other outdoor events. Ducote joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the right meats, proper seasonings and appropriate cooking techniques to make one of Louisiana’s great one-pot foods.
We will also learn why sponsor “Slap Ya’ Mama Cajun Products” has that unusual name. (Hint: it has nothing to do with familial violence and everything to do with appreciation.)
According to legend, the original cocktail was invented in an apothecary in New Orleans’ Vieux Carré. The neighborhood, with its many restaurants and bars, is such a watering hole for classic drinks it seems only right that there would be an actual cocktail named The Vieux Carré. There is, and it has been around since the 1930's. Though less known than other mixed drinks, it is now having a revival!
John De Mers, an author who specializes in food and drink, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the colorful history of cocktails and especially one that is the title of his new book, “The Vieux Carré.” Published by LSU Press, the book is rich in history and photography.
Oh, and Kelly even reveals what her favorite cocktail is.
Officially known as “Hansen’s disease” but the world recognizes the jarring, more familiar term “leprosy.” A place in south Louisiana known as Carville was, along with a facility in Hawaii, the national center for the care of patients with the disease. Author Anne Harmon Brett joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell her moving story of being raised by parents who first met at Carville. Based on the memoirs of her father and her own recollections, Brett tells stories of compassion, family loyalty and determination. Brett also discusses the contemporary status of the disease. This is a moving story not to be missed.
So, you thought you knew a lot about crawfish. Well, how about this? What global event triggered the interest in boiled crawfish in Louisiana? Sam Irwin, the author of the book “Louisiana Crawfish, A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell tales of the crawfish including the impact that the critters had on the rice industry, the most productive growing areas and the ongoing debate over "sucking the heads."
Also, Irwin, who is also a jazz musician and historian provides, for the first time ever, a live podcast musical interlude.
There is so much talent in Louisiana that selecting finalists for Louisiana Life’s annual Louisianian of the Year issue is one of the magazine’s toughest challenges. But, It was accomplished! And, there are many promising prospects left for the future.
Louisiana Life Editor Melanie Spencer joins Errol Laborde, the magazine’s Executive Editor, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to boast about this year’s list consisting of a woman working to preserve the Houma Indian culture; a champion of preserving the wetlands; a nurse practitioner specializing in sickle cell cases; a teacher who has mastered keeping the attention of students and a Shreveport restaurateur expanding his family’s legacy.
Plus, we will hear why one designee says of her calling, “This is where God wanted me to be.”
Imagine three great cooking styles served in one place, or written about with recipes in one book. The place is Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse in LaPlace (St. John the Baptist Parish); the book is "Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons." Jarred Zeringue, the chef and owner of the smokehouse and the author of the book, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the joys of smoked foods including meats common to the LaPlace area – like andouille and tasso. The book contains stories from his family, lots of recipes, a list of techniques for Cajun cooking and food photography that is a visual feast in itself.
Also, he reveals some of the kitchen’s most only-in-Louisiana creations: smoked boudin and, yes, hogshead cheese, too.
There are all sorts of anniversaries in life, however seldom is a milestone celebrated for a candy. But then there are few confections as worthy of special recognition as Heavenly Hash. This year is the centennial of Elmer Chocolate creating the Heavenly Hash Easter Egg. In 1923, the recipe was purchased from a New Orleans confectionary store. Prior to that purchase, the candy was generally sold in slices. The Elmer folks developed the technology to make Heavenly Hash in a chocolate egg-shaped covering.
Robert Nelson, CEO of Elmer Chocolate, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about one of the world’s great candies, as well as Gold Bricks, Pecan Eggs and other Elmer’s products like chocolate packed valentine boxes. This is not a commercial but a culinary history combining chocolate, almond, pecans and skilled marketing.
We'll also hear about the uproar when an expanding drug store chain decided one year not to carry Elmer’s products.
There are two principal ways of Carnival group ritual in Louisiana. One is the New Orleans style float parade with bands, marching groups and maskers flinging throws from floats. And the other is the Cajun style Courir de Mardi Gras in which mounted riders and runners go different places begging ingredient for a gumbo. Both have their own indigenous music and traditions.
Dixie Poche joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her new book "Cajun Mardi Gras: Chasing Chickens and Making Gumbo." Learn how different communities along the Cajun prairie have different costume elements including cone-shaped hats and masks made from screens. We'll also answer the question, which town is the epicenter of the Courir culture?
A century ago, a New Orleans based company, founded by Lucius H. Hayward Jr., was in the business of purveying dried beans, most notably the red kidney shaped variety. The company would eventually trademark the name Camellia Brand Red Beans. The business flowered from there. At first the beans were scooped from a barrel at grocery stores, but then Gordon Hayward, the son of the company’s founder, had the idea to package the beans in cellophane bags. With that, red beans became an easily marketable item. Vince Hayward, great grandson of Lucius and CEO of Camellia Brands, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the evolution of the New Orleans classic everyman’s dish, red beans and rice. It is a fascinating story made spicier with slices of andouille, pickled meat and bay leaves for seasoning. Hayward also reveals his personal recipe including why he adds a chunk of butter.
It's funny... Lafayette doesn’t look a day over 150, yet the town is celebrating its 200th anniversary. The commemoration is based on the state issuing a charter, in 1823, to what was then known as Vermilionville. (In 1884, the name was changed to Lafayette to honor the French marquis who fought in the American revolution.) Sami Parbhoo, the Bicentennial Coordinator for the town’s celebration, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the area’s culture including history, music and of course, food.
We will also hear why Lafayette is known as one of the nation’s happiest towns.
Louisiana is the only state where beads are known to dangle from oak trees. That phenomenon is especially common in New Orleans where the trees along certain avenues are nurtured by Carnival floats passing beneath their limbs late each winter. Doug MacCash, a staff writer for the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, has written a book titled “Mardi Gras Beads” (LSU PRESS). He joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell share low down on and explore the history of the bead business.
We will also hear why New Orleans paradegoers were once so adept at spelling “Czechoslovakia."
There are four meaningful seasons in Louisiana: football, hurricane, Carnival and elections. All are important; two are fun. Robert Mann, holder of the Manship Chair in Journalism at LSU and a former staffer with Governor Kathleen Blanco and Senators John Breaux and Bennett Johnston, as well as once a newspaper reporter joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for a riveting conversation about politics, especially gubernatorial history and elections
Oh yes, we will also hear about the time Huey Long arranged for the LSU student body to watch the Tigers football team play Vanderbilt – in Nashville, by train.
We have heard of Shriners Hospital but, but we bet you didn’t know that the organization’s children’s healthcare movement began in Shreveport in 1922. Steve Caskey, chairman of the Board of Governors for Shriners Children’s Shreveport, tells Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot the story of the emerge of the system that originally placed a high emphasis on orthopedics, including during the challenging days of polio.
With one of the world’s great rivers flowing through it, Louisiana has always deserved a seat at the table when the topic is world trade. Now the subject had become enhanced as the local chapter of the World Trade Center has linked with Greater New Orleans Inc., which promotes trade not only in New Orleans but Southeast Louisiana and, by implication, all of the state.
Michael Hecht, president and CEO of the newly combined World Trade Center at Greater New Orleans Inc, joins Executive Editor of Louisiana Life Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the riveting pursuit of global trade. It is an essential story with as many twists as the river itself.
Oh yes, we will also hear about how the state can best benefit from the burgeoning off-shore wind industry. The solution is different than you might think.
Warren Perrin could deserve the title of Mr. French (Monsieur Français.) The Lafayette lawyer was a founder of Codofil (the organization to preserve the French language in Louisiana) and founded the Acadian Museum of Louisiana in Erath.
Perrin joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about several topics including his conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and how the French perceive Louisiana’s native Cajun French. Other topics covered include the tricentennial of the colonial Louisiana capitol having moved from Biloxi to New Orleans; and, a victim of the Munich Olympics terrorist attack 50 years ago who had connections in Louisiana. This is a compelling conversation worth listening to.
There are many acres of crawfish ponds in China, but did you ever hear the story about where the stock for those ponds originate? Hint: It is a state in America. Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot talk to author Sam Irwin whose book “Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean” gives the lowdown on the mudbug, including how it became so popular in Louisiana.
Oh yes, there is also a debate about the eternal question, "to suck the heads or to not sucks the heads"?
Here is a question we should all consider: “Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi or Anywhere Else?”
Philosophers have long pondered the question but now there is good news, a TV documentary series takes a closer look. Jay Dardenne, a two time Lt. Governor and Secretary of State and now the governor’s Commissioner of Administration, and Linda Midgett, a producer for Louisiana Public Broadcast (LPB), join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the documentary, which will be broadcast and streamed over the LPB system. The content is a romp through Louisiana history filled with history, anecdotes, talking heads and some laughs.
Oh yes, the two have assured that while Louisiana is indeed great, Mississippi ain’t so bad either.
Though we hope to never see anything like them again, great urban tragedies should never be forgotten – if for no other reason than to to remind us to be vigilant at doing the things to prevent more disasters. Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot talk with Royd Anderson, a documentary maker who specializes in documenting harrowing experiences such as a high-rise fire and a sniping incident from the top of a hotel.
Both terrorized New Orleans within a matter of weeks 50 years ago.
When you need a way to promote your state that will draw lots of attention and is fun to look at, a spin-off of a Mardi Gras float might work, especially if your state is Louisiana.
State tourism promotion is officially under the direction of the Lieutenant Governor’s office. "Louisiana Insider" producer Kelly Massicot went to the source to talk to Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser about the effort during the holiday season for Louisiana to have a presence in both the nationally televised Rose Bowl parade and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day procession.
Oh yes, we will also hear about a 60-foot-long alligator making his way through Manhattan.
They were raised among French speaking families. Their ancestry traced through Nova Scotia and the maritime provinces. They were teased by Anglo troops when they went to war. They became of enormous value in France as translators.
Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, talk with Jason Theriot, a Lafayette-based historian whose upcoming book "Frenchies" profiled Cajuns who went to war and whose work inspired an exhibit at the National World War II Museum. Now he has expanded his base by studying troops from French Canada. Were there any similarities to their war experience?
Oh yes, we will also hear about common last names such as LeBlanc heard in both areas.
Jerry Lee Lewis made a lot of music and left a lot of stories to tell about unrivaled popularity, unparalleled scandal and a rocking comeback. Jim Brown, former Secretary of State, Insurance commissioner and State Senator joins Louisiana Life Executive Director Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Jerry Lee who was a neighbor in the upstate town of Ferriday, as well as his first legal client.
Oh yes, we will also hear about Lewis’ famous cousins.
I guess you might call them faith healers, but they are more than that description because they often rely on certain herbs and plants, as well as handed-down prayer and sometimes even a gentle touch to heal certain maladies. They have long been a part of Cajun culture especially in rural areas away from standard medical treatment. Mary Perrin and Bev Fusel, two traiteuses (the female equivalent of “traiteurs”) from the Lafayette area, and the authors of a newly published book "Healing Traditions of South Louisiana, prayers, plants and poultices" join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about what maladies are best treated by traiteurs and why.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the power of elderberries.
There are some people who claim to do Voodoo but are just doing it for fun. Then, there are others who are the real thing. Sallie Ann Glassman is a Voodoo priestess; ordained in the Haitian ritual. Glassman, who operates Island of Salvation Botanica, stages ceremonies on Voodoo spiritual days such as St. John’s Eve. She joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Day of the Dead rituals.
Oh yes, she will also answer the question do real Voodoo practitioners stick pins in dolls.
Just watching a brown pelican in action reveals how fascinating they are as they hover over a water body and then suddenly take a crash dive, to surface with fish in their bills. It is one of nature’s more dramatic acts.
Author Rien Fertel joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from his new book, “Brown Pelican” (LSU Press). We know it as the state bird but brown pelicans are also an ancient species with a rich influence of early legends and as a common religious symbol. This is an extraordinary interview about an incredible bird.
Oh yes, we will also hear how the brown pelican is different from its white counterpart including size, mating and fishing techniques.
While filming a documentary about ghosts in an old plantation home producer Barbara Sillery once noticed a woman standing outside a window looking in. Later when the camera operator and the sound technician were asked about the woman they responded, “what woman?” Sillery joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories from her books and public TV documentaries which includes "The Haunting of Louisiana," "The Haunting of Mississippi" and "The Haunting of Cape Cod and the Islands."
Oh yes, we will also hear Sillery’s picks of Louisiana’s most allegedly haunted places.
You’ve heard the expression “love that chicken!” Well, you might like this colorful interview as well. Al Copeland Jr , the CEO and chairman of the Copeland foundation, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell stories from the new book, “Secrets of A Tastemaker: Al Copeland. The Cookbook. Recipes and Spicy Delicious Memories." His late dad founded the business best known as Popeyes, which is being honored this year on its 50th anniversary.
Oh yes, we will also hear about Copeland’s famous standoff with vampire author Anne Rice.
Allison Plyer is an expert on numbers – not the boring kind that we may have experienced in school, but the fascinating statistics that reveal information about our lives and futures, as well as trends in the state. Plyer, the chief demographer for The Data Center, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for riveting revelations about people and places.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the chief causes of stress among Louisianians. One of them may surprise you.
Follow Plyer on Twitter @allisonplyer
Shrimp may be the most versatile of all seafoods. We crave the jumbo shrimp but small shrimp has a use in gumbo. We eat the crustacean fried, boiled, grilled or topped with a remoulade sauce. It is also an industry with its own unique issues and culture. Emma Lirette, author of the new book “Last Stand of the Louisiana Shrimpers,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss what ties shrimpers to their boats and nets.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the next generation of workers and will they stay on the bayou.
What’s new in Louisiana? That's a question that Louisiana Life magazine asks in every issue but especially its annual cover story entitled "La Nouvelle Louisiane." The magazine’s editorial staff probes the state to discover what’s new in many topics including architecture, visitor attractions, outdoor spaces, hotels bars, musicians and restaurants. Melanie Warner Spencer, the managing editor of Louisiana Life, joins the magazine's Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss great discoveries across the state.
Oh yes, we will also hear what a Lake Charles casino and a New Orleans basilica have in common.
In 2005, during the days of confusion after Hurricane Katrina broke New Orleans’s levees, the military needed someone to take charge. That happened once Russel Honoré, a Louisiana-born General with lots of swagger, stepped off the helicopter. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin would describe him as "that John Wayne type character." Honoré would be called again to defend a different city in 2021, after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the general to conduct a security analysis. Honoré joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his battlefield career and his latest battle for equitable energy policies.
Oh yes, we will also talk about his Green Army and how to go to battle.
Angela Gregory was one of Louisiana’s greatest artists and among the least known. She is distinguished for having chiseled a reputation in a field long dominated by men – sculpturing. From the streets of turn-of-the-century New Orleans, where she grew up, to the Parisian studio where she honed her craft, Angela Gregory’s story is that of a woman before her time. Beginning with her interest in art at an early age, a film produced for Louisiana Publish Broadcasting explores Gregory’s studies at Newcomb College in New Orleans and at the studio of Auguste Rodin’s chief sculptor Antoine Bourdelle in Paris.
“At a time when women struggled to be taken seriously, Gregory married her mathematics skills with her love for art and architecture to create beauty in what she called ‘the ultimate lasting pieces of art," said Dorothy Kendrick, the film’s producer and writer, .
Kendrick, along with art historians Susan Hymel and Elizabeth Weinstein, join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Gregory’s career.
Oh yes, we will also hear about an exhibit and a documentary created to tell more of her story.
What exactly is the purpose of roux in a gumbo or stew? And how about those prepared roux mixes? Louisiana Life’s longtime food columnist and genius in the kitchen as well Stanley Dry ponders these question and others with Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot. They also talk top Louisiana seafood and meats.
Oh yes, we will also hear Dry reveal his favorite Louisiana-linked desserts.
It is the true Public Enemy Number One. In Louisiana, cancer takes many victims but there is an advance guard providing research and treatments.
Jasmyne Watts, a cancer support manager for the American Cancer Society, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the top cancers in Louisiana and what is being done to overcome them.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the importance of early diagnosis.
Natchitoches, Louisiana is known for its quaint architecture, plus one building that is hip and cutting edge. The building, which now houses the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Northwest Louisiana History Museum, is so much of a discussion in the architecture world that it was featured on “How Did They Build That?” – a globe-trotting series on the Smithsonian Channel. Crowley native/New Orleans and New York resident architect Victor “Trey” Trahan joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the ideas and problem-solving that allowed this building to rise.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the Louisiana Superdome, where Trahan is involved with the refurbishing.
Some of the state’s most interesting places were built for everyday people to do great things. There were the Rosenwald Schools built by a wealthy Southerner who, in the pre-Civil Rights days, wanted to provide settings for Black kids to have a better learning environment. A couple hundred were built in Louisiana each including classroom buildings and two houses for the teachers. Elsewhere, there were also churches and office buildings some deigned with an extra flourish, begging for re-use today. Brian Davis, the Executive Director for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the Trust’s latest endangered building list each with a great history.
Oh yes, we will also hear about a building that Davis personally helped save. He lives in it now.
Back in the bad old days, when racial segregation was the law, there were music entertainment clubs throughout the state to accommodate a Black-only crowd. Known as the “Chitlin' Circuit,” some of the biggest names in rhythm and blues, including Ray Charles and James Brown, made the trek from place to place. The swankiest of all the stops was the cleverly named Dew Drop Inn, located in New Orleans on LaSalle Street. There were big name entertainers, including a few female impersonators, plus a bar, food and dancing; and even a hotel. After passage of the Civil Rights bill there were more options for Black people. Some of the old clubs lost their following and fell into disrepair. The good news is that the Dew Drop Inn is making a comeback. Developer Curtis Doucette joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his efforts to revive the Dew Drop and make it better than ever.
Oh yes, we also hear about Drag Queen master of ceremonies Patsy Vidalia and her unique presence.
Bill Caragan fought two military-related battles in two different decades – and he was successful with both. The first can in the 1990s when Caragan's Louisiana National Guard Unit prepared to be shipped to Iraq as part of the effort to liberate Kuwait in what would become known as Operation Desert Storm. The second was in recent years to promote a monument in honor of those who fought in Operation Desert Storm. The monument’s site in Washington, D.C. was recently dedicated and now under construction. Caragan joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the war and the evolution of a monument.
Oh yes, we will also hear about why being an artillery unit’s forward observer is one of the toughest jobs in the military.
Louisiana’s movie business is rebounding and Alfred Richard knows the scene from inside and out – as a fan and as a participant. Richard, whose movie comments are heard weekly on New Orleans stations WWL-TV Ch. 4 and periodically as a special guest on public television WYES Ch. 12’s "Steppin’ Out" program, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot for a fun talk about the movies.
Oh yes, we will also hear about his role as “Chocolate Thunder” as part of the “610 Stompers” dancing group, whose whole motto is “Ordinary Men; Extraordinary Moves.”
Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin is the largest river swamp in the country. It is filled with vegetation, birds, animals, reptiles (including alligators) and wonderment. Unfortunately, any place that is so ecologically precious also has its challenges, including keeping the water flowing through the proper channels. Ecologists Joseph Baustian and Bryan Piazza of the Nature Conservancy join Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about how the basin has withstood man-made intrusions yet benefitted from man-made technology. It is a moving story that includes keeping the water moving.
Oh yes, we also hear about the successful strategy to keep the alligator population growing.
Besides color, what is the difference between a brown bear and a black bear? And which are you most likely to find in Louisiana? How plentiful are feral pigs? Does Louisiana have more alligators than people? What’s the difference between a redfish and a red snapper? Chris Holmes has written several articles about the state’s wildlife for many outlets including for Louisiana Life.
Holmes joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the state’s wildlife from the Kisatchie Forest through the Atchafalaya Basin.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the re-emergence of the bird made famous by John James Audubon
In 1873, one of the worst Yellow Fever epidemics in the nation’s history swept through Shreveport. The then fledgling Archdiocese of Natchitoches recruited five priests from France to service the needy. All five died having known they would not return to their native country. Now there is a movement for the five to be canonized as saints. LSU-Shreveport Historian Cheryl White is a co-author of a book, “Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The Surest Path to Heaven.” White joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the moving story of the priests, as well as Yellow Fever, early Shreveport and the spread of religion in Louisiana.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the steps of canonization to be recognized as a saint.
Jim Brown, former Louisiana Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner and State Senator makes a return visit to the podcast and for good reason. He always has a lot of stories to tell. Brown joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from his latest book, “My Louisiana Odyssey: A Memoir,” including a late night phone call from Bill Clinton and flying with Edwin Edwards.
Oh yes, we will also hear about visiting a saint’s relic and why.
There are many stories to be told about Louisiana’s Cajun culture; most joyous, a few heartbreaking, all part of a lifestyle that has flourished in southern Louisiana. Conni Castille, a ULL documentarian who has specialized in chronicling Acadiana, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the virtue of rice and gravy, properly ironed shirt collars, celebrating on horseback and, to the contrary, even a diseases that has afflicted some Cajun families.
Oh yes, we will also hear a tempting recipe that includes boudin and Steen’s syrup.
One of the biggest honors given to any magazine is to be named “Magazine of the Year,” especially by a national trade organization. Well, ahem!, Acadiana Profile, Louisiana Life magazine’s sister publication, was recently named Magazine of the Year (in the bountiful 37,000 or leas circulation category) by IRMA, the International Regional Magazine Association. Not only that, but Louisiana Life was also named as one of the finalists. The award was announced at the group’s recent convention in Ottawa, Canada. Melanie Spencer, both magazine's managing editor, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to discuss behind the scenes in regional magazines and the making of a nationally ranked publication.
Oh yes, we will also hear about a controversial cover and a British judge’s thoughts about it.
Whenever early education is the topic, charter schools are always part of the discussion. This is especially true in New Orleans, which has the only all charter public school system in the nation.
J. Celeste Lay an Associate Professor of Political Science at Tulane University joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss her book, “Public Schools, Private Governance: Education Reform and Private Governance in New Orleans.” The book raises serious question about charter schools in general and is a good text for learning more about education and politics.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the impact that Hurricane Karina had on public education.
New Orleanian Tom Sancton is a master of the clarinet as well as an accomplished journalist, having served as Paris Bureau Chief for Time Magazine.
Sancton joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talks about his fascinating career on stage and behind the keyboard, as well as recall a life lived in two dream cities: Paris and New Orleans.
Oh yes, we will also hear about “The Last Baron,” his latest book about the kidnapping of a French aristocrat and about his acquaintance with a former French President who had New Orleans experiences.
Here is the amazing story of how the pecan, as we would come to know it, was transformed from being a lowly nut that grew wild in the south to becoming a finely developed food source. All of this was because of an enslaved person who was the gardener at Oak Alley Plantation and who developed an expertise at grafting. Historian Katy Morlas Shannon joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the discoveries from her fascinating new book “Antoine of Oak Alley.”
Oh yes, we will also hear about slave laws and how Louisiana differed from some other southern states.
A favorite topic of many podcast listeners is food; a second favorite topic is drink. Y’all are in luck. This episode’s guest is an expert on both. Liz Williams, a founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum and President of the National Food & Beverage Foundation, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about culinary history including the South’s unique contributions on the plate and in the tumbler.
Oh yes, we will also hear the secret to the best day- after Thanksgiving leftover gumbo ever.
We know that the Acadians were exiled from Nova Scotia, but why did so many settle in Louisiana? Was it because of the crawfish, the swamp, the alligators or the duck hunting? No, it was because of cattle and the Acadians' expertise at raising herds. Félix Martín Antonio Navarro, who from 1783 to 1788 was an official with the Spanish administration that governed Louisiana, convinced the king to allow land grants to Acadian settlers. Historian Robert Hicks, who has spent years studying Navarro, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the man he refers to as “Louisiana’s Greatest Humanitarian.”
Oh yes, we will also hear about a Catholic Priest whose 1955 book revived Navarro’s name as part of Louisiana history.
You would think if you were a former Secretary of States, insurance Commissioner, state senator and candidate for governor you could get good attention in a public hospital. That was not the case in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis when Jim Brown had to battle both a virus and a hospital staff that was still learning how to handle the onslaught of patients. Brown joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about learning to prepare for a health crisis.
Oh yes, we will also hear some good old fashion talk about current Louisiana politics.
Alecia Long, an LSU historian and author of the book “The Great Southern Babylon: Sex, Race and Respectability on New Orleans, 1865-1920,” joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the risqué side of early urban life. Oh yes, we will also hear about her latest book linking former Orleans Parish D. A. Jim Garrison's investigation of the Kennedy assassination as an alleged sex crime.
Ask Bob Marshall what the article was for which he won his Pulitzer Prize and he will politely respond, "which one?" Marshall has been on the winning side for two group Pulitzers each reporting on environmental issues for the Time-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.
Fortunately, on matters of ecological issues, Louisiana needs such aggressive watchdogs. The lush waterways and wetlands that make the state so wondrous are also vulnerable to being tested by nature.
Marshall joins Louisiana Life magazine Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about climate change in Louisiana including long-range predictions. (Hint: It’s not good.)
Oh yes, we will also hear about how far inland a new Louisiana coastline could be one day.
Most of us can go all day without worrying about what fuels our tractors need. If you are a farmer, though, you may have a lot to worry about, especially when a war can cause a diesel fuel shortage. (Also, fertilizer scarcity.)
Mike Deliberto, an economist for the LSU Agriculture School, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the status of Louisiana agriculture and what war can do to it. (Hint: It’s not good.)
Oh yes, we will also hear what the state’s top crops are and listen to a segment from a Ray Charles song about sweet potato pie.
Commercial radio in Louisiana reached a significant anniversary in 2022 as WWL in New Orleans celebrates its 100th year. The station, with its 50,000 watts of power, was designed to reach a national audience back in the days when radio stations were few. WWL’s news director Dave Cohen and Dominic Massa, executive vice president & COO at WYES New Orleans, who has written a book about local radio, join Executive Editor of Louisiana Life Errol Laborde along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the statewide evolution of the first electronic information medium. There are stories to tell.
Oh yes, we will also hear about early variety shows that preceded the coming of television.
In the 1700s, when New Orleans was a fledgling city, the French overseers faced many problems including a severe shortage of women. Arrangements were made to send women from France who were perceived as being problematic to Louisiana for a new life. Joan DeJean, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and a native of Louisiana has conducted exhaustive research on who those women were brought to Louisiana, why were they sent, and what they accomplished in their new land. Some of the stories are heartbreaking others are inspirational.
DeJean joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her latest book, “Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers of the Gulf Coast.”
Oh yes, we will also hear about the legends of the casket girls.
If you're in Cajun Country around Mardi Gras time be careful when you cross the road, there might be some masked riders pursing chickens for a gumbo. Chance Henry joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the Courir de Mardi Gras tradition (he is a Capitaine), as well as Cajun Culture and Acadia Parish – for which he is the Police Jury President. Oh yes, we will also hear about a place where pirates and cowboys once gathered called Roberts Cove.
There are few phrases that can sound as sad as “Orphan train” yet between 1854 and 1928 for thousands of kids who had experienced the fragile immigrant life and the slums of the east coast, the Orphan trains were a chance to experience a new life on farm lands and in rural American towns. Martha Aubert, President of the Opelousas-based Louisiana Orphan Train Museum and board member James Douget joinErrol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the plight of the kids many of whom settled in Louisiana.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about some of the hardships and relocation success stories..
There is a place in Terrebonne Parish near the Gulf of Mexico known for its beautiful scenery, bountiful seafood and a population of indigenous people. It is also known for its fragile existence so near the water, as tested by Hurricane Ida. Ben Johnson, a producer for Louisiana Public Broadcasting, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his documentary “The Plight of Pointe-Au-Chien,” a study of both the land and the native people who survive there.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about some of the creative indigenous dishes served at the dinner table.
You may not have noticed it, but this year is the 125th anniversary of the legalization of the Storyville red-light district in New Orleans. Storyville was an effort to make prostitution more respectable by allowing it only in a designated neighborhood. Historian Sally Asher joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the bawdiness, characters and famous bordellos of Storyville.
Oh yes, we will also hear about some legendary cemetery tombs including one built to house the era’s most famous madame.
In trying to pick a Louisianian of the Year, there are 4.6 million people to choose from. Louisiana Life magazine makes the task a bit easier by talking to experts in various fields to whittle the size to five worthy people. Managing Editor Melanie Warner Spencer joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about some of the state’s shining lights.
Oh yes, we will also hear about a few exciting museums worth trying.
In preparing his book about king cakes, author Matt Haines claims to have sampled from 80 different cakes for the sake of journalism. His book, "The Big Book of King Cake” was worth the effort because it is both an informative history of the king cake and a source of greet photography showing the confection at its best. Haines joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell about his odyssey. Oh yes, we will answer the question, are there really boudin king cakes?
Census figures do more than just set the numbers for political districts, they also tell us a lot about our lives and places of note in Louisiana. Jeff Adelson and Sam Karlyn, both journalists for The Advocate who have extensively studied the numbers, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell stories from the 2020 census.
Oh yes, we will also hear about the plight of the once prospering town of Waterproof, Louisiana
We think of Louisiana’s culinary excellence most often in terms of the seafoods, gumbo, etouffees and the variety of pork dishes, but there is a whole other category for sweet things. Lafayette-based author Dixie Poche joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss her book, “Louisiana Sweets: King Cakes; Bread Pudding and Sweet Dough Pie.”
You will discover the origins of many native desserts and learn more about the native produce that are in the mix.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a town that once had a festival to celebrate homemade cakes.
Some places are known for their snow at Christmas time; Louisiana’s river parishes are known for their fire on Christmas Eve.
Chicago-based filmmaker Mark Niedelson joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss his documentary "Papa Noel: The Legacy of the Levee Bonfires." The production, which is available through the resources of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), tells the story as centered in the St. James Parish town of Gramercy and spread along the River Road levee.
Oh yes, we’ll also speculate on the true origin of the bonfires. It may not be what you have heard.
There was once a part of present day Louisiana that neither France nor Spain could decide on who was the possessor, so it was declared a neutral ground known as “No Man’s Land.” Filmmakers Bill Rodman and Flo Ulmer-Rodman, along with historian Adley Cormier, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss their documentary about a lawless and adventurous section of 19th Century western Louisiana.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a tree in Lake Charles where cowboys and pirates once met to trade items and maybe sample a little barbecue.
Louisiana politics is known for being colorful and controversial. It is also, like most politics, constantly changing. Two University of Louisiana Political Scientists, Pearson Cross and Christie Maloyed, have compiled a book, “The Party is Over: The New Louisiana Politics” featuring contemporary political readings. They join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, in the Louisiana art of talking politics. Oh yes, we will also hear an evaluation of the Bobby Jindal administration and what might have gone wrong.
At issue was Black vs. White. In the days of racial segregation many road places were denied to black travelers. For decades, a guidebook offering travel suggestions was called "The Green Book." "The Green Book," named after the publication’s founder, provided highway information about motels, restaurants and places to go along the nation’s highways. A full length film and a Smithsonian documentary about the topic have been produced and now Louisiana Public Broadcast (LPB) has put together the documentary “Safe Haven – Louisiana’s Green Book,” focused on key locations in Louisiana, including New Orleans’ Dooky Chase restaurant and the bluesy Dew Drop Inn. The documentary’s co-producers Kara St. Cyr and Emma Reid join Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the discoveries from "The Green Book," a few of which still stand.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact that the ESSO gasoline company had in supporting black travel.
Louisiana has four federally recognized Native American tribes, one of the most historic is the Coushattas who settled largely around Allen Parish in the vicinity of Elton and Kinder. David Sickey is a past tribal chairman and a member of the tribe’s governing board. Sickey joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the history, culture and some of the social issues that the state’s tribal people face.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact of the casinos.
Tyler Bridges has stories to tell, so many that this edition of Louisiana Insider will feature two of them. One is the shocking saga of former governor Edwin Edward's body being exhumed and then cremated at the orders of his widow and, allegedly, without the knowledge of his family by earlier marriages. And the other is from Bridges’ new book, “The Flight: One Father's War, a Son’s Search,” about his dad, a bomber pilot during World War II being shot down and then held as a prisoner of war before escaping. Bridges, a journalist for The Advocate newspaper, who has twice been on a Pulitzer Prize winning team, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell both tales.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about an idea to create a burial place for governors.
Stanley Nelson is a north Louisiana journalist who has made a specialty out of investigating Ku Klux Klan-related murders. His newest book, "Klan of Devils: The Murder of A Black Louisiana Deputy Sheriff" tells the harrowing story of a 1965 crime in which two Washington Parish deputies were shot while on duty. One deputy died, but the other was only - though severely – injured and able to provide some witness information. The book traces the ensuring investigation and the eventual involvement of the FBI. It is a riveting study of racial relations during that time. Nelson joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to reveal the detail of the crime and the investigation.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a secret meeting held between then Governor John McKeithen, looking for help, and the FBI.
Craig Colton looks at Louisiana’s endangered wetlands not only as an environmentalist, but also as a geographer and anthropologist. Colton, a professor of geography at LSU, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the plight and hopes of coastal residents, as reported in his new book, “State of Disaster: A Historical Geography of Louisiana’s Land Loss Crisis.”
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the math, as Louisiana’s land loss is often described in terms of football fields.
Steve Roberts has experienced life from many different angles. He is an accomplished journalist who has written a nationally syndicated political column. He was the husband of the late Cokie Roberts, who reported for ABC News and National Public Radio and wrote several books, some specializing in women’s political history. His mother-in-law as the late Lindy Boggs, who was a member of congress from Louisiana and went on to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, and his father-in-law was Hale Boggs, a member of Congress who was on the path to become Speaker of the House before disappearing in an Alaskan plane crash in the '70s. Roberts joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot in a memorable interview to discuss his career and his new book about Cokie Roberts.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear Cokie Roberts’ argument made to her mother about why she should accept the Vatican appointment.
Which Louisiana town has Dolly Parton as part of its history? Which town was settled as part of a German religious sect? These and other questions are answered as Louisiana Life magazine’s travel writer Chere Cohen joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to reveal her picks of the state’s most charming towns.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about why Natchitoches became famous for meat pies and about a nearby town that’s known for its tamales.
Europe was ablaze with the biggest war that the planet had experienced up to that time. In Louisiana, there were also lots of battles; including an end to the Red Light District, racial tensions and the coming of prohibition. And there were a few clear victories with the evolution of Jazz and women’s suffrage. Historian Brian Altobello joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories from his new book “Whiskey, Women and War: How the Great War Shaped Jim Crow New Orleans.”
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Mayor Martin Behrman and his impact on restructuring the city.
Even through the COVID-19 slowdown and taunting by hurricanes there has been lots going on in Louisiana over the last couple years. To prove its point, Louisiana Life magazine presents its annual La Nouvelle Louisiane awards. Melanie Warner Spencer, the magazine’s managing editor, joins Errol Laborde along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the best of what’s new in the state including places, things, culinary adventures and even people with stories to tell.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear the magazine’s picks of five charming Louisiana towns.
When the story of the protests for more civil rights in Louisiana is told there were several key stops along the way including a church in Shreveport, a march to Bogalusa and Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans. Organizer Brenda McKinley and former TV news anchor Norman Robinson join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell stories about the height of the Civil Rights struggle. The story is now made more visual by the state's new Civil Rights trail, which provides informational trail markers and web-based information about the saga.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Ray Charles and his mention of Dooky Chase in one of his songs.
Shane Bernard has Louisiana culture in his blood. He also has splashes of Tabasco sauce. Bernard, a historian who has chronicled Cajun culture and the Swamp pop music scene, is also the archivist for Tabasco hot sauce. He, a scholar on the hot stuff, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about, not just the sauce, but its home base of Avery Island, one of the few places in Louisiana where there has been mining activity below the ground. In this case, for salt. Oh yes, we’ll also here about his dad, a former swamp pop superstar, and the surprising revelation of where the barrels come from that are used to age the Tabasco mash.
Bob Mann has been in the boiler room with many important Louisiana political figures including Russell Long, J. Bennett Johnson, John Breaux and Katheen Blanco. He has also written about Louisiana politics as a newspaper reporter and as an author of several political books. Mann, who is now the Manship Chair in Journalism at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communications, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories from his new book, “Backrooms and Bayous: My Life in Louisiana Politics.” Oh yes, we’ll also hear Russell Long’s take on why his dad, Huey, hastened his political agenda.
Clare Chennault led the country he was fighting for in defeating the Japanese in the air war. Surprisingly, that country was China and without his aerial combat skills Japan may have conquered the nation in 1937. Accordingly, the outcome of World War II, which was just beyond the horizon, may have been totally different.
Author Richard P. Voohries, Jr., a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his book, “Chennault, A Rebel in China,” as well as Chennault’s famous combat squad, “The Flying Tigers.” Oh yes, we will also here about how Chennault was influenced by early American Generals, southern traditions and his relationship with Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of the ruling Generalissimo.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of casino type gambling being legitimized in Louisiana. Pulitzer-winning journalist Tyler Bridges joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the political history of the games of chance. He should know. His book, "Bad Bet on the Bayou" (published in 2001) followed the many twists in the tale. Oh yes, they will also discuss who went to jail and why.
Former Secretary of State Jim Brown talks about Edwin Edwards; Louisiana politics and back home in Ferriday
When Jim Brown, a young attorney from Louisiana first met Edwin Edwards, who was in Congress at the time, the two men sat on the steps of the U.S. capitol and talked about Louisiana politics and their ambitions. It was a fateful meeting. Edwards would go on to being elected governor four times; Brown would serve as Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner. Brown joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Edwards, his career, Louisiana politics and even some music stars who came from Brown’s hometown of Ferriday. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Brown’s first law client and about his last request to former governor Jimmie Davis.
It was 1966 and racial tensions, which were always high in Plaquemines Parish, were boiling over—a group of male Black students was fighting against some white males. Gary Duncan, a local who was related to one of the Black students, saw the action and wanted to help calm things down. In the process, he put his hand on the shoulder of one of the white males. That cost him. Duncan was later arrested and charged with assault. Thus, began the case that the United States Supreme Court would one day label as “Duncan vs. Louisiana.” Richard Sobol, a young white Civil Rights attorney who had relocated to New Orleans, took up Duncan’s case, which would make its way to the nation’s highest court. The story is now the subject of a documentary, “A Crime in the Bayou.” Gary Duncan and documentary filmmaker Nancy Buiriski join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the battle for justice. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about Plaquemines Parish’s tyrannical political boss and about Sobol one day phoning Duncan to report on news from the Supreme Court.
Imagine, you’re the pilot of an ocean freighter working its way up the Mississippi River. There’s something important you should know. Regardless of your destination you should dock the big ship somewhere before you reach the “old bridge” in Baton Rouge. After that, the river gets shallower all the way up to Minnesota. At this point you’re better off being the captain of a tow boat pushing barges.
Photographer Philip Gould joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his book, “Bridging the Mississippi: Spans Across the Father of Waters,” for which Gould, and his wife, co-author Margot Hasha, document crossings from the river’s northern origin at Lake Itasca to the twin spans in New Orleans. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the engineer who was responsible for the steel bridge in St. Louis and the jetties near the mouth of the river.
Imagine, walking down the street one night in Opelousas and hearing in the distance music from Ray Charles or maybe James Brown. Only that was no jukebox that you were hearing but Charles and Brown themselves performing live in St. Landry Parish. There was a day when the state was dotted with dancehalls and big name entertainers travelled the circuit. Within those walls the sounds of Zydeco also began to flourish including Rockin’ Sidney commanding “Don’t Mess with My Toot-Toot.” And, swamp popper Rod Bernard swooned that “This Should go on Forever.”
Author Herman Fuselier joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about his book, “Ghosts of Good Times: Louisiana Dance Halls, Past and Present,” as well as the emergence of Zydeco and its biggest stars. Oh yes, we’ll also hear theories on what “Toot-Toot” means, but, warning, whatever the answer, don’t mess with it.
A levee’s riverside is called a batture. For a few hearty souls it is also called “home.” Author Macon Fry lives in a camp on a batture at the edge of Orleans Parish. He has been chronicling stories of people who live so near the water they can sometime feel the wave action through their floor. Fry, who once canoed down the entire Mississippi River, has stories to tell about life as a “river rat’ and shares them with Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the uphill migration of river shrimp and marvel as the size of the Mississippi’s catfish.
Louisiana has always had some dry parishes where booze was limited by local law, but the state and especially New Orleans did not take too well to the period from 1920 through 1933, when alcohol sales was curtailed nationwide. Prohibition was a raucous era with colorful characters, hot jazz and behind the doors activity. Author Sally Asher joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell tales about the days when the cork was supposed to stay in the bottle. Oh yes, we’ll also hear the story about a federal investigator and how long it took him to find a drink in New Orleans.
What does it mean when the top 10 movies set in Louisiana are discussed, two of them have the word “Easy” in the title? After much discussion, we have concluded that it is probably only a coincidence because the competition is tough. Film critic Alfred Richard joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, in a lively conversation to reveal his choices of the top 10 films set in Louisiana. (Spoiler alert: While the “Easy” films make the list they are not at the top.) Oh yes, we’ll also hear about the impact that one of those films had on a small Louisiana town and, in a brief conversational diversion, what it is like to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.
For many, the image of Jewish settlements in the United States have been mostly on the East Coast and in major cities. However, there has long been a Jewish population spread across the South and in rural areas. Dating back to the 1700s, some of the earliest Jewish settlers were peddlers selling their wares to eagerly awaiting customers across the landscape. Executive Director of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience Kenneth Hoffman and Morris Mintz, a founding board member of the museum, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the Jewish story in Louisiana, which includes being victimized by prejudices yet being appreciated for civic leadership and philanthropy. Oh yes, we will also hear about the new museum that details the story of the southern Jewish experience and listen to a klezmer song that might surprise you.
Br’er Rabbit was a trickster who loved to defy authority and who pulled his stunts throughout the South. He is known for finding seclusion in briar parches but in Louisiana, his spiritual home was Laura Plantation where former slaves told stories that traced back to their West African roots. Norman Marmillion, a co-owner of Laura Plantation (located near Vacherie, 39 miles up river from New Orleans), joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories of the plantation house, the cabins and out-buildings that still survive on the property, as well as the social life of a girl named Laura. Oh yes, we’ll also hear about an earthquake fault line located near the property and another trickster’s real estate deal that once went wrong.
Don’t you just hate it when you’re walking in the yard of an old farmhouse and there is a ghost staring out the window? How about that strange noise some folks claim they have heard coming from the barn? And do you sometimes get the feeling that someone is looking over your shoulder only to turn and find no one there? Those are stories that Kenneth Brown, an archaeologist from the University of Houston, heard as he went digging at Magnolia Plantation near Natchitoches, Louisiana. Brown did not spot any ghosts himself, but he did learn much about the lives and traditions of those who occupied those grounds – including post-war freed slaves. Brown, who was a guest expert on the Destination America show “Ghost Brothers" which hosted it's first episode at the plantation, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about what archaeologists are learning from plantation life. Oh yes, we will also hear about what he found in the ground for his exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Louisiana was one of the pioneering states at offering free healthcare to its citizens. And there were several state-run Charity hospitals, with the New Orleans facility being one of the largest in the nation. James Ciaravella, a retired surgeon turned author, who spent several years at “Big Charity” joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about medicine for the masses and some of the medical breakthroughs. Oh yes, we will also hear about Tulane vs. LSU facing each other, not only on the sports field, but in the operating room.
Louisiana, we know, is the creation of many ethnic groups but one that doesn’t always get the credit it is due is the Sicilians. The port of New Orleans was the largest arrival point of migrants from the island off the Italian coast. The group would become very active in agriculture and also influential in food, music, politics and religious celebrations.
Historian Justin Nystrom joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell tales about the rich Sicilian traditions. Oh yes, we will also reveal our pick for the best cannoli.
Huey Long is such a part of the legend of Louisiana politics one might think he was governor for decades. In fact he did not serve a full term, but his impact would last for decades. From his perch as a United States Senator he ruled Louisiana. Even after his assassination his followers would maintain his legacy of populism and political control. Historian Alex McManus joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about the Long era, it believers and its enemies. Oh yes, we will also hear about Long’s highway linking the State Capitol to the Roosevelt Hotel.
Imagine a Lieutenant leading a platoon through a French village during World War II. He has questions to ask the locals but everyone in his group only speaks English. What does he do? He calls for the soldier from French Louisiana to translate. Historian Jason Theriot joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell about his upcoming book, “Frenchies.” Through years of interviews, Theriot has accumulated stories about the unique role many Louisiana G.I.s performed as the Allies pushed through France and Belgium. Oh yes, we will also hear about the impact that the war had on Cajun pride.
Imagine being Vice-President of the United States and having killed Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Imagine that later in his career the same person possibly committed sedition by trying to make the newly purchased Louisiana territory part of an independent empire. Imagine that this person gets off without any punishment and spends the last years of his life as a practicing lawyer in Manhattan. UNO historian Charles Chamberlain joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the riveting story about Aaron Burr’s career including his Louisiana territory escapade. Oh yes, we will also hear the career advice Burr sings to Hamilton in the musical by that name.
What is the better fish for eating, red drum or red snapper? They’re both good but food writer Stanley Dry know the differences. Dry has a long list of credentials including being food editor for Louisiana Life magazine and the author of the hardback book “The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook” published by the magazine. Seafood is the entire topic as Dry makes a return visit to the podcast. He joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the bounty from the Gulf and the state’s waterways. Oh yes, we will also hear about what else, besides corn and sausage, to toss into the crawfish boil.
Is Voodoo a religion or is it a way of life? According to Sallie Ann Glassman it is both. Glassman, who travelled to Haiti to study Vodou and to be initiated into the priesthood explains the complexities including the parallels with Roman Catholicism and certain saints. Glassman joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the mysteries of Voodoo. Oh yes, we will hear about the impact of drumming to the spirit.
Churches in the Black community are historically known as places where preachers preach with more fervor and where choirs rock the house with hand-clapping joy, hoping for better days.
A documentary produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting entitled, “Louisiana’s Black Church, the Politics of Perseverance,” examines religion in around the state. Executive producer Linda Midgett and producer and reporter Kara St. Cyr join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the triumphs and hopes from the pulpit. Oh yes, we will also discover a hidden meaning of the name "Moses."
It all began with the word “Acadian," which became Americanized to “Cajun” and then popularized to define life’s necessities including a two-step in Mamou and the spiciness of fried chicken. Join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot as University of Louisiana at Lafayette professor and documentary maker Nathan Rabalais discusses his production “Finding Cajun,” which made its broadcast debut on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. We will hear about the history of the people and the word, as well as, a delve into the timeless question about preference, “boudin or cracklins?”
One of the most powerful men in the history of what is now Louisiana was Jean Lafitte. At his peak, Laffite was a mixture of pirate king, Mafia Don and local hero. For as famous as he was there is still much mystery to the Lafitte story, including his place and year of death. North Carolina-based mother and daughter co-authors Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to reveal discoveries from their new book "Jean Laffite Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest Running Mysteries." The ending of this story is far different than anyone ever knew. Oh yes, we will also hear about finding Laffite’s sword and how the pirate and Andrew Jackson actually got along.
We know about the interstates and federal highways that lace the state, but there is a lot to be learned from exploring the old roads. Louisiana is rich with trails all of which have fascinating stories from the gulf coast to the state’s northern tip. Sharon Calcote, the director of the Louisiana Scenic Byways program, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell tales from 19 designated trails. Oh yes, we will also discover one trail where the story was made into a movie that won an Academy Award for Best Picture.
Glen Pitre’s first film “Belizaire: the Cajun” (1986) starring Armand Assante was backed by Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute. Pitre would go on to have more successes, including “The Scoundrel’s Wife” (2002) starring Tatum O’Neal. Roger Ebert, the late film critic on the Chicago Sun-Times, described Pitre as a “legendary American regional director.”
Pitre’s latest effort is “Mary, Queen of Vietnam,” a documentary about the state’s thriving Vietnamese population.
Pitre joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about film making on the Bayou. Oh yes, we will also discover his favorite boudin, white or red.
Hardly anyone knows it, but the Louisiana-based Sazerac Company has become one of the top liquor brand distributors in the country. Plus, it operates the amazing new Sazerac House museum in New Orleans.
Rhiannon Enlil, a historian for the museum, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the bounty from the bar and New Orleans’ controversial claims to be the birthplace of the cocktail. Oh yes, we will also discover if Sazeracs and Old Fashions are related.
Where a bridge crosses the Mississippi River, connecting St. Francisville on one side and New Roads on the other, is a little like crossing the English Channel. There is the French culture on the New Roads side and a touch of English heritage in the St. Francisville vicinity. True, the Mississippi is a lot longer than the English Channel, but we’re just trying to make the point. There is a lot to discover in Louisiana. In this year where travel – especially international – is challenging, staycations might be the way to go. Travel writer Chere Coen joins Errol Laborde, Executive Editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about great staycation spots around the state – some that you might not have thought of before. Oh yes, we will also mention which of the city’s towns has been called, “the happiest city in America.”
Besides sending many of its best overseas, Louisiana played important roles in World War II including ship manufacturing, training and housing German POWs. Dwight Eisenhower even spent times here overseeing maneuvers. Louisiana is still part of the World War II story as it is home to the war’s national museum. Kim Guise, a curator for the museum, joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the war and her specialty, the role of women. Oh yes, we will also hear music from the era!
Spoiler alert!! The answer to the above question is that they are both among this year’s class of Louisianians of the Year. The two – Zydeco buff Herman Fuselier and teacher Nathalie Roy – are part of the nine selected this year by Louisiana Life magazine. Melanie Warner Spencer, the magazine’s managing editor, joins executive editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about this year’s talented group. You’ll even hear about how Bob Thames, a Shreveport brewer, was inspired by an ancient bottle of bourbon to raise money for hospitality workers suffering losses because of COVID. He collected $27,000!
They’re not all Cajuns nor are there any admirals in the bunch, but they have certainly experienced battles on the water and on the land. Rob Gaudet, the founder of the Cajun Navy, joins Louisiana Life executive editor Errol Laborde and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the group's rescue effort through high waters and cyclones including Hurricane Harvey in Houston and the storms that have hit Lake Charles and Southern Louisiana. You’ll even hear how a skilled communication's system has become part of the weaponry of war and how pirogues performed in the streets of Houston.
Cajuns are often associated with seafood, especially the crawfish, but in the prairie areas of south Louisiana, Cajuns are pork eater. Dixie Poche, author of the book the “Cajun Pig,” joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to savor the pork. Oh yes, they will also discuss the appeal of hog’s head cheese.
Not only have whiskey and rum long been shipped through the state’s ports but local bartenders have created classics such as the Sazerac and Huey Long’s favorite, the Ramos Gin Fizz. Tim McNally – an expert on cocktail history and the author of a new book about the Sazerac, along with Louisiana Life Magazine Executive Editor Errol Laborde and producer Kelly Massicot, provides a fun romp through the history of booze in Louisiana.
What is it like to own a plantation estate? Well, instead of worrying about the sugar harvest there is more concern about the tourist arrivals. It also helps to have a good eye for architecture, design and style. Kevin Kelly the owner of Houmas House and Gardens in Ascension Parish joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot on a verbal exploration of grandeur, controversy and history. Oh yes, he will also reveal the latest on a rumored Viking invasion.
To the great debate about which is more appropriate to accompany gumbo – sweet potato or potato salad? – Stanley Dry offers a great alternative, sweet potato salad.
Dry is the Food Editor for Louisiana Life magazine. He had also written for Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review and is the author of "The Essential Louisiana Cookbook" published by Louisiana Life.
He joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot on a verbal exploration of the best of Louisiana cooking. Oh yes, the New Iberia resident is also a dedicated baker and will reveal his picks of the best of Louisiana pies...
Asked which he prefers, alligators or crocodiles, and Dean Wilson did not hesitate. “Alligators,” he replied, “I can swim with them, but I can’t swim with crocodiles.” Wilson should know. He once spent four months alone in the Atchafalaya swamps' deep basin with only “a spear, a few hooks, a bow and arrows.” Fortunately, he lived to tell about it and to discuss his career of saving the basin. His fights these days are more often against human intruders than critters.
Wilson is founder and executive director of the Atchafalaya Basin Keeper, a group dedicated to saving the basin he knows from the inside and outside. He joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot on a verbal exploration of the basin, North America’s great river swamp. Oh yes, he will also tell about the time that a nutria got in his boat.
Poverty Point is a pre-historic settlement dating back as far as 1700 years BC. Located in what is now Northeastern Louisiana, Poverty Point was the center of an indigenous culture that spread thorough the Gulf South.
Archaeologists Diana Greenlee digs old things. As the resident researcher at the UNESCO designated World Heritage site, she is leading the way with innovative research into an ancient past. She joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life Magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss the particulars of Poverty Point... Oh yes, we will also discover how the site got that strange name...
There are two things that many of us might like to have more of “faith” and “healing.” Mary Perrin can provide both. Perrin is a traiteuse, the Acadian equivalent of a faith healer. Working with herbs, plants and prayer traiteurs look to cure maladies. Perrin is also the Chairperson of the Jardin des traiteurs located at Vermillionville in Lafayette. She joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot to discuss the particulars of an ancient tradition... Oh yes, we will also discover a berry that seems to have amazing curative powers.
Natchitoches is one of Louisiana’s most charming towns. It is also the oldest continuing settlement having been discovered by French explorers, even before New Orleans. The region is known for its rich history, including having been the setting for the film “Steel Magnolias.” Folk artist Clementine Hunter learned her craft nearby and Kate Chopin, having married a man from Natchitoches, lived for a while in neighboring Cloutierville,.
Kelli West, the Marketing and Communications Director of the Natchitoches Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the fascinating stories of Natchitoches, the Cane River country and the town's Christmas Festival. Oh yes, we will also discover the origins of the town’s indigenous meat pie.
Located in Keithville, Chimp Haven is the largest protected area for chimps in the country. Many of the residents were once owned by the federal government for research; others were pets. Now they all live a leisurely life, which everyone can see in the new National Geographic and Disney+ series "Meet The Chimps."
Amy Fultz – Chimp Haven’s director of Behavior, Education and Research – joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to tell the fascinating story of the chimps and their behavioral patterns. Oh yes, we will also discover if there are any favorites in the group.
"The Cajuns and the French History of Louisiana"
Warren Perrin might be referred to as a Cajun Activist. The Lafayette Attorney once petitioned Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain asking for a British apology for the deportation of the Acadian people. (The British did not apologize but they acknowledged the incident.) He is one of the foremost authorities on Louisiana’s culture and even operates a related museum in the town of Erath. Perrin joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Cajun culture, past and present. Oh yes, we will also discover if he thinks that in the long run the Acadians were better off having been relocated in Louisiana.
By law, the job of the Lieutenant Governor is not only to be ready when needed, but to also oversee the state’s tourism. COVID-19 has dropped many bombs on the industry and this week, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser talks about the twin challenges of rebuilding tourism and, because there are fewer restaurant customers, the seafood industry. Nungesser joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about the future and survival of Louisiana tourism. Oh yes, there's more... we will also discover how an industry was built involving used shipping containers.
Louisiana has long inspired the artist finding natural beauty, Kings and Queens, Jazz roots and the passion of many cultures. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot, join guest John Kemp, art columnist for Louisiana Life magazine, in painting a vivid picture of the state’s art scene. Oh yes, we will also discover the city that John James Audubon and The Beatles had in common.
Monroe, Louisiana is the town that put the pop in Coca Cola and is near prehistoric mounds and a crop duster service that turned into a major airline. Monroe and its sister city West Monroe are separated by the Ouachita river that wins accolades for being scenic. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot join guest Sheila Snow of the Monroe/West Monroe CVB in discussing the northeast corner of the state. Oh yes, they WILL talk about how bottling Coke revolutionized an industry.
Lake Charles is close enough to Texas to the west to have a cowboy influence; close enough to the Atchafalaya to the east to have a Cajun influence and close enough to the swamps to the south to have once been a hangout for pirates. Unfortunately, it is also close enough to have been on the path of Hurricane Laura. This week’s Louisiana Insider talks about grit and determination in Southwest Louisiana. Our guest is Eric Cormier a former journalist who is now an official of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Alliance.
Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot join Cormier in discussing heritage and recovery in Southwest Louisiana. Oh yes, we will talk about the Hackberry Ramblers and about the piles of fish seen along the Creole Nature trail.
He grew up listening to swamp pop music. The only difference was that his Pop was one of the swamp poppers. This week’s Inside Louisiana podcast is a fun romp through the music that echoed across Louisiana during the early days of rock and roll. Historian Shane Bernard has stories to tell not only about his dad, Rod Bernard, but about the music that echoed across Louisiana during the early days of rock and roll. Bernard also has intriguing insights about Cajun and Creole history and about the evolution of the Tabasco empire. This is Louisiana with rhythm and spice. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot join Bernard in discussing music and heritage of Louisiana. Oh yes, we will also join the debate about the difference between a Cajun and a Creole.
Several times Lake Pontchartrain has faced serious pollution issues and each time it has survived largely because the lake, when given a chance, has had the ability to cleanse itself. Once closed to public swimming, folks these days are invited to jump it to an amazingly clean body of water. The sea life provides more proof. Carlton Dufrechou knows the lake probably better than anyone. He is the director of the commission that runs the lake-spanning Causeway Bridge and the former director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation – recently rebranded as the Pontchartrain Conservancy. In this week's episode, Errol Laborde, along with producer Kelly Massicot, joins Dufrechou in discussing the lake and its amazing recovery. Oh yes, we will talk about the blue crabs and the manatees, too.
There are more legends about life along the Mississippi river than there are curves in its path. (Well, almost as many.) This week’s “Louisiana Insider” podcast examines the legends and the dynamics of the mightiest of rivers. Mary Ann Sternberg, who has written extensively about River Road, is our guest this week. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life Magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, join Sternberg in discussing the river, its grandeur as well as the plantations and the slavery controversies. Where is the deepest point in the entire Mississippi river? That and other facts are awaiting your discovery.
The best of what is new in Louisiana is the subject of the latest edition of “Louisiana Insider.” This week Melanie Spencer, managing editor of Louisiana Life Magazine, joins us to celebrate the winners of La Nouvelle Louisiane awards as announced in the September/October edition of Louisiana Life. The magazine selected the best of the new around the state in several categories including events and attractions; craft breweries; chefs, restaurants; museums; outdoor spaces and celebrities. In the year of the quarantine the feature presents insights into the world around us.
This week, Mark Romig, chief marketing officer for tourism development at New Orleans & Company, joins host Errol Laborde to explore one of the world’s most colorful cities – New Orleans. They talk about the future, tourism, the Saints and Pelicans, traditions, hard times and good and things to do. There are even song interludes including the first commercially recorded jazz record, an Indians chant and Louis Armstrong remembering a favorite street. Romig is also the stadium announcer for Saints games. The broadcast ends with a Saints call that we hope to hear often.
This week Jeremy Alford, the publisher and editor of LaPolitics Weekly, joins host Errol Laborde to explore the state’s capitol city. They talk about politics, LSU, favorite haunts and things to do. Enjoy songs, stories about Earl and Huey Long are recalled and wicked comments from Mark Twain of why he disliked the old state capital.
In this week's episode, listeners will hear from Elvis, early blues singer Leadbelly and stories about Hank Williams. The latest episode is about Shreveport, which was once the site of the Louisiana Hayride, a Saturday night country music show in the style of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Winston Hall, a Shreveport musician and musical historian, brings a clip of the night when 19 year old Elvis Presley made his debut on the Louisiana Hayride, discusses one of Leadbelly’s hits “Midnight Special” and other elements of Shreveport’s history including Sept. 11, 2001 when Air Force One landed at Bossier City’s Barksdale Airforce base so that President George W. Bush, who had been in Florida, could address the nation about that morning’s terrorist attacks.
Winston Hall is a Shreveport-based piano entertainer and music history enthusiast who performs live more than 300 times a year. In his spare time, he is a tireless advocate for Northwest Louisiana's incredible music history.
In the first episode of "Louisiana Insider," Errol Laborde and Cheré Coen travel to Lafayette, Louisiana. There's music, food and a whole lot of history!
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Cheré Dastugue Coen is an award-winning journalist and author living in Lafayette, Louisiana. A native of New Orleans, Cheré began her career in communications at the 1984 World’s Fair. She has worked for or currently writes for Variety magazine in Hollywood, TravelAge West magazine, AAA Southern Traveler, Country Roads magazine of Baton Rouge, Dreamscape of Canada and Renaissance Publishing of New Orleans, among many other publications and international blogs such as Forbes. In addition to being a freelance travel and food writer, she pens the weekly Weird, Wacky and Wild South blog and contributes to Travel the South Bloggers.
Her fiction includes the “The Cajun Series” of historical romances, “The Cajun Embassy” series of contemporary romances and the “Viola Valentine” paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire.
Her nonfiction books include “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Tour of Historic Acadiana” by The History Press; the cookbook travelogue “Cooking in Cajun Country” with “Cajun” Karl Breaux (2009, Gibbs Smith Publishing) and “Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets,” with Jude Bradley (2010, Llewellyn).