NPR News

Perhaps most recognizable for his role as despicable but lovable lawyer Dan Fielding on Night Court, John Larroquette has recently taken to the stage. He earned a Tony Award for his role in the 2011 production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Yesterday, in the San Francisco Chronicle, columnist Gwen Knapp hailed a tweet from an Oakland Athletics' player as the dawn of the "age of enlightenment."

In short, pitcher Brandon McCarthy sent out a tweet that suggested the "Kiss Cam" — a feature shown on scoreboards across the country in which a camera focuses on couples in hopes of a kiss — was anti-gay.

Snarky comedians who mock people who share food photos on Facebook and Twitter (see this video) may be good for a chuckle, but they don't have the will of the people behind them.

That's what we've learned from our online survey this week, which asked: "Are your friends bombarding you with 'food porn'?"

Rev. Jerry Falwell was a typical kid, more interested in pranks than church or politics. But he went on to create some of the country's most important Christian fundamentalist institutions and leave an indelible mark on today's Republican party. Host Michel Martin speaks with Michael Sean Winters about his biography on Falwell, God's Right Hand.

The House is set to vote Friday on a GOP proposal to keep some student loan interest rates at current levels. Many students have been concerned at news that the current 3.4 percent rate could double if Congress fails to extend the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act. Host Michel Martin talks with Jason Delisle of the New America Foundation.

Mexican officials are probing allegations that Wal-Mart paid $24 million in bribes to speed construction of new stores there. Wal-Mart has also been accused of lobbying to amend U.S. anti-bribery laws. Host Michel Martin talks with reporter Ana Maria Salazar, who says even big companies have to grease the wheels in Mexico.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Right now some of the hottest artists in Latin music are in Miami for the annual Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards. Those awards celebrate the most popular musicians in business innovators in Latin music.

Now if you are not an expert on Latin music, do not worry. We have you covered. Here to guide us, Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras. They are co-hosts of the NPR Podcast Alt.Latino. They've been with us this week to tell us which artists to keep an eye on.

Welcome back. Thanks for joining us again.

As part of Tell Me More's series for National Poetry Month, host Michel Martin shares a poetic tweet from Philadelphia poet and English professor, Kelly McQuain. Listeners are invited to tweet original poems of 140 characters or less to #TMMPoetry.