The Spark Extended Conversations

Extended Conversations

Occasionally, The Spark conversations and interviews go longer than the programming time allotted. We record the full conversations and place them here.

You can find these Spark extended conversations below, as well as on the following platforms.

Smart Talk Road Trip: Carlisle Ford Nationals

Smart Talk host Scott LaMar with panelists at the Carlisle Ford Nationals

Join us for an exclusive conversation about the world’s largest all-Ford event. Meet and hear from special guests:

Bill Miller Jr., Co-Owner, Carlisle Events
Gary Patterson – President, Shelby American Inc.
Jim Owens – Mustang and Shelby Marketing Manager
Paul Koerner–Certified Automotive Technician

Smart Talk Road Trip: Fulton Theatre

Smart Talk host Scott LaMar speaks with a panel at the Fulton Theatre

Smart Talk visits Fulton Theatre in Lancaster for a vibrant discussion about the current state of Arts & Culture in Central PA.

Smart Talk Road Trip: York County School of Technology

A welder works in the warehouse at Schramm, Inc. headquarters in West Chester, Pa. (Lindsay Lazarski/WHYY)

Smart Talk takes a Road Trip to the York County School of Technology to learn more about technical careers and how those jobs fit into and will impact the economy. In this extended conversation, hear from tech students as they share why they chose their career path and their hopes for the future. The program is part of WITF’s Careers That Work project.

Smart Talk Road Trip: The Englewood

A server delivers food to customers dining at a restaurant in Los Angeles on Aug. 7. Restaurants are boosting pay to attract workers, and that could have an impact on already-high inflation.

Scott LaMar stops by The Englewood in Hershey to discuss the post-pandemic road to recovery for restaurants. John Longstreet, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, Englewood COO Bill DeVinney, Andre Young, owner of the Soul House Café in Harrisburg and Mark Ray, a server and bartender at The Englewood have an extended off-air conversation and take audience questions.

An extended conversation with author Erik Larson

Author Erik Larson with a book cover of his latest work, "The Splendid and the Vile" — Author Erik Larson with a book cover of his latest work, “The Splendid and the Vile”

Scott LaMar sits down with the best-selling author to talk about his new book, Winston Churchill, his writing process and much more.

An extended conversation with author David Baldacci

Smart Talk host Scott LaMar and author David Baldacci

David Baldacci appeared in front of a sold-out audience in Lancaster for the Lancaster County Public Libraries in late 2021. Smart Talk host Scott LaMar spoke with Baldacci about writing, books and his career.

The Spark is supported by:

The Spark Road Trip is supported by: