All Sides with Ann Fisher Podcast - All Sides with Ann Fisher

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'Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!' host Peter Sagal May 27, 2026

Show notes

As of late, the news is no laughing matter.

Yet, Peter Sagal has carved out a career helping us exercise our brains and our funny bones as host of NPR’s weekly quiz show, “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!"

But that’s not his only gig. He’s an author, marathoner and more.

And he’s coming to Columbus on June 7 for an evening of storytelling at the Southern Theatre.

Sagal is talking with us on this hour of All Sides.

Guest:

Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!"

Weekly Reporter Roundtable: GOP lawmakers want voters to decide on amendment to photo ID law May 26, 2026

Show notes

Ohio law already requires voters to show a valid photo ID.

So why do Republican lawmakers think that language needs to be written into the state constitution by a voter-approved amendment this November?

Speaking of voting, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose experienced first-hand what happens when absentee ballots don’t arrive at the board of elections on time.

A new prosecution team is tapped to retry two former First Energy executives after the first trial ended in a mistrial.

Gov. Mike DeWine has more than 200 days left in his term and said at a recent press event that he’s proudest of his efforts to help children.

We're digging into all of these topics on a special Tuesday edition of the Reporter Roundtable.

Guests:

Jeremy Pelzer, chief politics reporter, Cleveland.com
Susan Tebben, reporter, Ohio Capital Journal

Tech Tuesday: University of Cincinnati creates its own version of an AI chatbot based on mascot May 26, 2026

Show notes

Some colleges and universities are hesitant about students using AI, while others have embraced it.

The University of Cincinnati has created its own version of an AI chatbot, BearcatGPT, becoming the first Ohio university to incorporate their own AI platform for their students.

For most people, networking is vital to the progression of their careers. But is networking equal for all?

We will talk about the factors that play into successful networking and if networking sometimes leads to nowhere, especially in the tech industry.

And we're discussing two recent lawsuits. The first one is Elon Musk's against OpenAI, which was lost due to the timeliness of the suit. The second one is against many kids' dream vacation, Disney, and what it means for the parks.

It's all part of the discussion for this week's Tech Tuesday.

Guests:

Bharath Prabhakaran, vice president and chief digital officer, University of Cincinnati
Ethel Mickey, author and assistant professor of sociology, University of California at San Bernadino
Russell Holly, director of commerce content, CNET

All Sides Weekend: Arts and Culture May 22, 2026

Show notes

The arts are always in season in central Ohio.

As the days are getting warmer, creative fever is also getting hotter for many in the local arts scene.

Join host Christopher Purdy and his guests for a preview of arts and cultural events in and around Columbus.

This week, Purdy and his guests preview the annual Columbus Arts Festival and the Columbus Symphony Picnic with the Pops.

Host:

Christopher Purdy, Classical 101 Morning Host

Guests:

Jami Goldstein, chief strategy officer, Greater Columbus Arts Council
Jonathan Parrish, vice president of artistic planning and programs, Columbus Symphony
Eric Gibson, Opera Project Columbus

Fascinating Ohio: A municipal court judge, nonprofit executive director and urban researcher May 21, 2026

Show notes

This past November, Ohio inducted their first Muslim judge for the Franklin County Municipal Court.

She has been practicing as a prosecutor in Lancaster and defense attorney with her own practice in Columbus for years.

We’ll learn more about her journey pursuing law as a Bangladeshi Muslim woman.

Founded in 2006, Wild Goose Creative is a nonprofit arts organization that serves as a community space for artists.

They recently announced a new executive director, a curator with years of experience in nonprofit programming and arts education.

Research suggests that urban African American girls are significantly exposed to more traumatic stressors than children of other racial groups.

That’s the statistic that inspires Black Girl Rising, a research project exploring urban adolescent African American girls’ experiences.

Guests:

Ajmeri Hoque, Franklin County Municipal Court Judge
Janelle Bonfour-Mikes, executive director, Wild Goose Creative
Fran Frazier, founder, Black Girl Rising

Why has the US hit a record low fertility rate? May 21, 2026

Show notes

Fertility rates are declining around the world, and it's leading to dramatic generational and economic shifts.

Plus, from babies to boomers. As the number of babies being born continues to fall, boomers are aging more gracefully than ever.

This year, the post-World War II babies are turning 80 and they’re changing old age for themselves and future generations.

We're looking at why the U.S. has hit a record low fertility rate on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

Wendy Manning, co-director, Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family & Marriage Research
Michael Kuhn, Vienna Institute of Demography at the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Luke Yoquinto, science writer and research associate, MIT Age Lab

Summer movie season preview May 20, 2026

Show notes

Memorial Day is coming up and America’s summer movie season is starting to pick up.

With major releases like Marvel’s "Spiderman: Brand New Day," Christopher Nolan’s "The Odyssey," and Steven Spielberg’s "Disclosure Day," there’s a lot to look forward to.

What are some of the movies that might not see the reception studios expected and what are some of the biggest trends in the film industry this year?

We're getting a preview of the summer movie season on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

Scott Mantz, film critic, entertainment journalist and producer
Mel Starker, film critic, writer of Screen Addiction
Hope Madden, author and film critic with Madd Wolf

(photo: Adobe stock)

Has the 'science of reading' reshaped literacy education in Ohio? May 20, 2026

Show notes

School may be out soon, but the challenge for parents is how to keep kids reading over the summer.

We check in on how the switch to the science of reading is going and how it’s reshaping literacy education.

Gov. Mike DeWine pushed for the change, citing persistent lagging reading scores.

How have colleges and universities changed how they teach reading teachers? And will it keep kids from falling behind?

Guests:

Megan Henry, reporter, Ohio Capital Journal
Moira Konrad, associate professor of special education, Ohio State University
Margo Shipp, literacy specialist, Riverside Local Schools

Tech Tuesday: Why is Meta running fake ads? May 19, 2026

Show notes

Click on any social media platform, and you will be flooded with advertisements.

Amongst the regular ads, there are also scams, including get-rich-quick schemes and fraudulent ads. These scams may not be a simple glitch in the system. It is rather an organized effort for Meta to get richer.

Two journalists from Reuters uncovered the truth about Meta with their series “Meta’s Secrets of Success.”

Quantum computing is one of the leading developments that applies knowledge of quantum physics to solve problems in cybersecurity, medicine and finance. We will learn more about this emerging tech field.

During many universities' finals week, Canvas was hacked, causing disruptions for many universities, including Ohio State, while the system was shut down for several hours.

We're talking about all of these topics during this week's Tech Tuesday.

Guests: