Don Cornelius, the creator of "Soul Train," died Wednesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He began his career as a journalist who wrote passionately about the civil rights movement.  After noticing the lack of African American music on popular television, he created the Chicago-based show "Soul Train" in 1970 to showcase the funky blending of gospel and R&B that is soul music. It quickly gained an audience and went into syndication nationally a year later. Celeste Headlee looks back on why "Soul Train" was groundbreaking and reflects on the may ways that Cornelius' legacy lives on. 

The Takeaway has been talking this week about the controversy that has erupted around the TLC reality show "All-American Muslim" after the home improvement store Lowe's pulled its ads from the broadcast. The move came after a group called the Florida Family Association launched a campaign against the show, urging companies to pull their ads. Reaction to the Florida Family Association and Lowe's has raised the profile of the cable show, as well as the community of Dearborn, Michigan where it is filmed.

On Monday, The Takeaway reported on the home improvement store Lowe's pulling its advertising from the TLC reality show "All-American Muslim" after a conservative Florida lobbying group launched a campaign against the show. Takeaway listeners have a lot to say about this incident and what it means for religion in America.

Last month The Takeaway discussed "All-American Muslim," TLC's latest reality show. In the month that the show has been on air, the Florida Family Association mounted a campaign against the program. Last week, one of the show's advertisers, Lowe's, announced that they would no longer run their ads on "All-American Muslim." "Lowe's has received a significant amount of communication on this program, from every perspective possible," the company's statement said. "Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lightning rod for many of those views."

Afghani children can now watch their own version of "Sesame Street."  The new children’s series hit the screens across that country this month. The producers of the original American version of "Sesame Street" have partnered with two popular Afghan television stations to produce "Sesame Garden," or "Baghch-e-Simsim" in the local languages of Dari and Pashto. Like its American counterpart, "Sesame Garden," has a progressive message along the way. The show aims to challenge gender barriers and expand roles for women and girls. Show segments feature young girls going to school, and emphasize female role models in a variety of careers, including as doctors and engineers.

It’s Thanksgiving. And we have a lot to be grateful for here at the Takeaway — including our amazing listeners and guests. One of our favorites from this past year was the great Betty White. In addition to starring on “Hot in Cleveland,” the legendary comedian, movie star, and seven-time Emmy winner is the author of a new book "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t)." White, who overflows with gratitude, reminds us that there's much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

"Sesame Street" has introduced the children of the world to a number of neighbors over the years, from Oscar the Grouch to Linda, the deaf librarian, to Maria and Louis, who spoke English and Spanish with equal proficiency. But what viewers may not realize is that "Sesame Street" also introduced them to an undocumented immigrant. His name was Carlo, on both the show, and in real life. Carlo the character was a teenager who worked in Mr. Hooper's store for five seasons.

He plays one of the most recognizable characters in television history. He was mentored by the great Jim Henson. He has more daytime Emmys than most TV actors accrue in a lifetime. And yet, most days, he walks around the world, completely unrecognized by his fans. His name is Kevin Clash, and he is the subject of a new award-winning documentary called "Being Elmo," which is currently in limited release.

The Emmy Awards are this Sunday night, and its winner might be the most hard to predict in years. Five of the drama and comedy series contenders are first-time nominees, as are many of the nominated actors — including Timothy Olyphant, for "Justified," and Martha Plimpton, for "Raising Hope." "Mildred Pierce" leads the nominations, with twenty one total, and “Mad Men” is close behind with nineteen. Who will bring home the most statues?

When ABC pulled the plug on George Lopez's eponymous sitcom in 2007, the Mexican-American comedian said, "TV just became really, really white again." Five years later, TBS has announced it will cancel Lopez's late night talk show due to slumping ratings. And in the five year interim, television doesn't appear to have gotten any more diverse.

This weekend will mark 100 years since the birth of an American comedy icon: Lucille Ball. The actress, comedian and star of the enduring 1950s sitcom "I Love Lucy" changed the comedic landscape. The hit television series followed the hilarious adventures of Lucy and her husband Ricky. Lucy often became the subject of her own jokes, and her physical presence and timing made her popular with viewers all over America, inspiring future generations of comedians and writers.

The eighth season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premieres this Sunday on HBO. The show hinges on star Larry David’s inability — or refusal — to follow social cues. Most of the characters respond to David's antics with passive aggression. But there is one character who consistently faces Larry head on: Susie Greene. Known for her filthy mouth and tendency to scream at other characters, Susie is one of the long-running comedy series' most beloved characters.

Jim Lehrer will no longer be the main face of PBS' "NewsHour." He was the show's anchor for 36 years, but there has not been a lot of fanfare around his departure. "I didn't want to make a big to-do about it," he says. He reflects on reporting on the Kennedy assassination and what he has learned about politics and history. His new book, "Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain" comes out in the Fall; he will continue moderating Shields and Brooks on Fridays. So what's next? "I want to write better books," Lehrer tells us.

Oprah Winfrey is saying farewell to her giant television audience all week, and few would argue that she will leave a big hole in programming, ratings, and in the lives of her faithful daily viewers. Of course, despite her apparent ubiquity, plenty of people pay no attention whatsoever to the mogul. So we wanted to get a sense from listeners of how or whether Oprah made a difference in their lives. We asked you: Has Oprah changed your life, and if so how? 

Today Oprah Winfrey signs off after 25 years as the queen of daytime talk. Oprah has built a multi-billion-dollar media empire. She’s one of only two African-Americans ever to grace the Forbes billionaire list — and the only black woman ever to do so. Many would argue that her success as one of the few black women in television has forever changed the face of the medium. So whether you’re a critic or a diehard fan, there’s no doubt that Oprah has had quite an impact — particularly on the African-American community.

President Barack Obama arrives in Ireland today, as he begins is week long trip to Europe. His stops include the UK, France, and Poland. Jason Stallman, editor for the national desk at The New York Times, looks at what we can expect in the week ahead on this trip. 

As the president journeys through Europe, a number of key economic indicators is set to be released, including GDP figures. Charlie Herman, economics and business editor for The Takeaway and WNYC, crunches the numbers for us and tells us if good things are ahead for our economy.

Most of us prefer to fast-forward through TV commercials in our everyday lives. But on Super Bowl Sunday, the ads are almost as hyped as the game itself.

Featuring celebrity endorsements, special effects, and the kind of humor that pushes the envelope, Super Bowl ads have the potential to become iconic, and our digital age, viral. Not surprisingly, this also means the price of a commercial is high. For this past weekend’s game, companies paid approximately three million dollars per thirty second spot. (Check out some of the ads after the jump.)

The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson on Saturday rocked the country this weekend. The Takeaway’s Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich and Callie Crossley, host of The Callie Crossley Show on WGBH in Boston, take a look at how the shooting has changed the national agenda and what else we can expect this week. 

Russell Simmons made his name as one of the most influential names in hip-hop by helping to found Def Jam Records in the 2980s. But he's also a the author of a successful self-help book that Oprah Winfrey helped become a bestseller. Simmons tells us why he's trying to help people get rich.