Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Essential Pittsburgh: A Penn State Fraternity's Facebook Fallout

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
The Kappa Delta Rho fraternity house at Penn State.

Two weeks after the Oklahoma State University fraternity scandal comes another. This time closer to home at Penn State where members of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity are under investigation for a secret Facebook page containing nude photos, drug use and hazing. We get the latest on the investigation from Penn Live reporter Ivey DeJesus.

DeJesus outlined the points of comparison between the Oklahoma State fraternity scandal and the Penn State scandal, many of which revolved around the administrations' responses:

"Oklahoma University President David Boren came out immediately after the Sigma Alpha Epsilon matter broke. He spoke out and was very involved in it. I think people were waiting for [Penn State University President] Eric Barron to do the same." - Ivey DeJesus

Also in today's show, "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme comes to town for the CMU International Film Festival, and Pitt Women's Basketball coach Suzie McConnell-Serio prepares to take her team to the NCAA Tournament.

Penn State Fraternity Under Investigation (starts at 0:00)

DeJesus also spoke about President Eric Barron's criticisms of the media's coverage of the controversy:

"There's a fierce allegiance to Penn State. In the post-Sandusky world there's a sense that Penn State is always under this very negative light and that the media only likes to focus on these negative aspects that come out and not on all the amazing things that go on on campus...I can't speak for him, but he has to grasp the severity of this, the severity of what this means in terms of these women that have been victimized."

Jonathan Demme and the CMU International Film Festival (starts at 17:10)

The Oscar winning director of "The Silence of the Lambs" Jonathan Demme joins us to talk about returning to Pittsburgh for the Carnegie Mellon University International Film Festival. The Steel City was the setting for Demme's horror classic about cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter, Demme will share stories of his life and career. We'll also speak with Peter Fudakowski (starts at 25:40), the Academy Award-winning producer of the foreign language film "Tsotsi." His new film, "Secret Sharer", also premieres at the festival.       

Pitt Women Go To Big Dance (starts at 32:30)

The University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team has earned its first NCAA tournament bid since 2009. The Panthers are a number ten seed and will play seventh-seeded Chattanooga of the Southern Conference at 11 am tomorrow in the first round in Knoxville, Tennessee. We'll talk with Pitt women's coach Suzie McConnell-Serio.

Tourney Time in Pittsburgh (starts at 42:10)

NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Regional Tournament games are being played at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh this weekend. The event is not only giving the Steel City plenty of national media attention, but an economic boost as well. We'll talk with VisitPittsburgh CEO Craig Davis.
 
To leave a question or comment before or after the show dial 412-256-8783. More Essential Pittsburgh segments can be found here.

Recent Episodes Of The Confluence