May 5 - May 11, 2008
 

Dear  Friend,

   Our programming can be summed up in one word this week: Carrier.

Monday, May 5
Antiques Roadshow - 7:00pm
Continues it's visit to Louisville
American Experience - 8:00pm
Part 1 of the biography of George H.W. Bush. Tonight's episode looks at his early life and his rise in the Republican Party.

Tuesday, May 6
NOVA - 7:00pm
Tries to find the origin of flowers on Earth which scientists believe occurred in a remote section of China.
American Experience - 8:00pm
Part 2 of the George Bush biography covering his years as CIA Director, Vice-President and term as President.

Wednesday, May 7
Secrets of the Dead - 7:00pm
Examines the use of performance-enhancing drugs by East German athletes during the 1970s and 80s.
American Masters - 8:00pm
Profiles legendary singer Marvin Gaye ("What's Going On," "Heard It Through the Grapevine").
"Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin -  9:00pm
Traces the meteoric rise to fame of the world famous Queen of Soul.

Thursday, May 8
Live from Lincoln Center - 7:00pm
A special performance of the musical Camelot, the story of King Arthur's Court. Highlights include the title song and "If Ever I Would Leave You."
Keyboard Creole: 2005 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - 10:00pm
Features performances by Randy Newman, Allen Touissant and Marcia Ball.

Friday, May 9
Louisiana: The State We're In - 7:00pm
A wrap-up of the week at the Legislature.
Followed by the regular Friday lineup.

Saturday, May 10
Lawrence Welk - 7:00pm
The show opens with the band playing "Sweet and Lovely".
Soundstage - 11:00pm
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty.

Sunday, May 11
Frame After Frame: The Images of Herman Leonard - 5:30pm
Tony Bennett narrates this LPB documentary about the life and work of renowned photographer Herman Leonard.
Nature - 7:00pm
Travels to the Alps to visit the rare red deer
Masterpiece Classic - 8:00pm
Part two of Cranford featuring our favorite Dame, Judi Dench.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE PROGRAM SCHEDULE

LOUISIANA LEGENDS DRAWS A STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD
The eighteenth annual Louisiana Legends Gala and Auction was a big success on Thursday at the Old State Capitol. This year's honorees were WWII veteran, U.S. Air force pilot, Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. John Spencer Hardy; Emmy award-winning film and television actress Lynn Whitfield; Pulitzer-Prize, Tony and Emmy-winning playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner, family business owner, philanthropist and historical preservationist Ben Kleinpeter; former Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. E. Ratcliffe Anderson, Jr., MD;

Major sponsors for the event, known as Gala Benefactors and Gala Stars, include CHRISTUS Health, Louisiana Lottery Corporation, Kleinpeter Farms Dairy, LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana.

The Louisiana Legends show will air June 4 at 7PM on LPB.

Check out the Web Site.

ONLINE BIDDING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR THE LPB ART & TRAVEL AUCTION
The work of 79 Louisiana artists will be up for bid when online bidding begins for the Fifth Annual LPB Art & Travel Auction on May 10. In all, there will be 110 pieces of art and a number of exciting trips in this year's auction. All proceeds go to purchase and create the programming which airs throughout the year on LPB. To view and bid on these items visit the LPB website at www.lpb.org and click on the Auction icon.

The Auction will conclude Sunday, June 8 with a live broadcast from 7:00-9:00 on the six-channel LPB network and WLAE-TV32 in New Orleans. This year's auction is being underwritten by the Southern Breeze Wine & Culinary Festival, the Baton Rouge Visitors and Convention Bureau, and the Opelousas Museum of Art.
All of the artwork featured in the auction will be on display on the second floor of the Louisiana State Museum on North 4th Street starting May 10.

Preview shows highlighting the art will also air on LPB and WLAE on:
      
       Saturday, May 24 at 7:30AM
       Sunday, June 1 at 11:00AM, 2:30PM and 6:30PM
       Monday, June 2 at 10:30PM
       Saturday, June 7 at 8:30AM
       Sunday, June 8 at 1:00PM
       
There will also be two programs highlighting some of the artists in the show called Louisiana Artists: Profiles on Campus on Sunday, June 1 at 6PM and Wednesday, June 4 at 10:30PM.

CELTIC THUNDER COMING TO LOUISIANA THIS FALL
We have just heard the Celtic Thunder will be coming to Louisiana this fall and Friends will have tickets for this great concert. Right now, we are trying to determine the day and location and we will let you know as soon as we get something concrete.

UPCOMING LPB & FRIENDS EVENTS 

LPB Art & Travel Auction
Online bidding on the donated art and travel items begins May 10 on www.lpb.org. There are some fabulous paintings and some excellent trips for you to bid on this year with all the proceeds going to purchase and create the programming which airs on LPB throughout the year. The finale of the auction will air live on Sunday, June 8 from 7 to 9PM.

Rock Pop and Doo Wop - Saturday, June 28 at 3:30pm and 8:00pm at the River Center Theatre in Baton Rouge -- B.J. Thomas and Gene Chandler headline an all-star cast. For tickets, visit the Friends Box Office (www.lpb.org/boxoffice) or call 800-272-8161, ext 4214.

TAKE A TRIP WITH THE FRIENDS OF LPB TRAVEL CLUB IN 2008 
   The Best of Eastern Canada Tour starts on June 29, 2008 and includes visits to Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto and Niagara Falls. 
   You can get more information about the trips online at www.lpb.org/friends/travel/ or by calling the Friends Office at 767-4214 in the Baton Rouge area of 1-800-272-8161, extension 4214. We will be happy to send you a brochure with detailed information about these trips. 

DTV TIP OF THE WEEK 
      More than $20 million in coupons to purchase converter boxes has already been sent out to people around the country.  You will need one of these converter boxes if you have an older TV that doesn't have a digital tuner and you receive you TV signal over the air through an antenna. To apply for one of these $40 coupons, visit the LPB website and click on "Technology." You can register online or call 888-DTV-2009.

Having trouble sorting out the upcoming changes in how you watch TV? LPB has experts available who can explain it in plain English to your civic group, church or organization. Email bneese@lpb.org or visit the LPB website (www.lpb.org).

Thanks for watching!

Bob Neese
Promotions Manager
Louisiana Public Broadcasting

Special thanks to AnswerQuick Answering Service for providing telephone support during our membership campaigns.

If you have any questions you would like to have answered in the newsletter, drop us a line at bneese@lpb.org and we will try to find out the answer.