Talking Animals

In Conversation With Temple Grandin--Part One

In a truly unusual edition of “Talking Animals,” I presented an interview with Temple Grandin. Actually, that in itself isn’t all that unusual.Temple-Grandin-CroppedIndeed, over the years, Dr. Grandin—probably the best known and most accomplished autistic person in the world, professor of animal science at MV5BMjQwOTQ4NDk5OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzM0Mjk3Mw@@._V1_SX640_SY720_Colorado State University, prolific author and speaker—has been a guest four times on “Talking Animals.” But this is different: On Feb. 7, I interviewed Grandin onstage at the 1200-seat Paramount Theatre in Austin, representing my first in-person, extended conversation with her. That conversation was recorded, and I aired the first half of it in this show. This part of the talk touches on a host of topics, including how to help kids who are autistic and elsewhere on the spectrum, some of the intricacies (and seeming paradoxes) of the way Dr. Grandin “thinks in pictures,” the importance of mentors and how to identify/recruit them, and, “Temple Grandin,” the Emmy-winning HBO movie about her life, starring Claire Danes. The conversation is lightly laced with questions for Dr. Grandin I had invited audience members to submit prior to Feb. 7, through the Paramount Theatre website. (Photography: Mandy/Birdsong Imaging)    (www.templegrandin.com, www.grandin.com)

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ALSO: We spoke briefly with Lynda Shehan about not one but two events taking place in Gulfport, FL on Feb. 28—“Get Rescued” and “Tails At Twilight”—designed to raise funds for participating animal rescue groups. (http://gulfportsgetrescued.com)

COMEDY CORNER: Jim Gaffigan’s “Whales” (portion) (www.jimgaffigan.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Peter Gabriel’s “Shock The Monkey”

AUDIO ARCHIVE: