Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Radio Humorists

This refers only to the radio work of the following. Their written stuff is a whole different thing.
Jean Shepherd gives me sore sides from laughing so hard. Garrison Keillor makes me smile, chortle, guffaw and laugh out loud once in a while. David Sedaris leaves me colder than a Mackerel that's been out of the water too long. His voice and delivery are so off-putting that I lose whatever appeal his stories might have. Don't like "This American Life" for the same reason. Ira Glass puts me off. I think it's a generation thing. I'm too damn old to understand or appreciate contemporary delivery.

3 comments:

  1. Listening to WPR's Jean Feraca interviewing Terri Gross this afternoon, and the topic of the new style in broadcasting (interviewing I assume) came up. Feraca referred to it as "animated, jokey and falsely ironic." As in Jon Stewart. As opposed to Gross, who is now supposed to be a relic "aging in place" on her long-running program.

    That got me to thinking about TV in general and how sour the tone is. My husband watches SHowtime's "Weeds" about suburban drug dealers, and I hate it. Five minutes of nasty people coming up with new ways to shaft each other. I love dark comedy, but thirst for a little sweetness and light after a bit. What is it with our entertainment? It's grosser than ever, more profane than ever, less ethical than ever (e.g. 24 and its glorification of torture), and just plain mean. It's as if everyone has decided to produce "American Beauty," but without the intelligent subtext. I'll bet it is a reflection of these gross, profane, unethical times.

    And Devid Sedaris is still very, very funny.

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  2. Cif, this has nothing to do with this topic, but I am at school and shirking my nurse homework, and don't have your e-mail on my laptop. The question is about music.

    Despite not liking country much, I like Dwight Yoakam, and am listing to his "Ain't that Lonely Yet." Downer of a song, but the instrumetation in the background is of the type I would call inspiring. I tend to like songs with that pattern. I have no idea what it is, so I thought I'd ask you, who knows everything there is to kow about music (including what an "oberek" is).

    On the refrain and bridge of the song (and thanks for pointing out long agao what a bridge is) the piano and other stuff in the background seems to be going up in three slow steps and down in three slow steps. Lots of chromatics. And while one instrument goes down three steps, another goes up three steps. The paradoxical ascent/descent is the thing that is appealing. Makes one think of drawing a breath of fresh air, running through the daisies, etc. Well, me, anyway. What the heck is that?

    Now back to journaling what I learned in the mental health hospital this week and last.

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  3. Etaoin: I will ask my music experts and then pass off their explanation as my own.
    Regarding Mr. Sedaris, I will give him another try. He must be doing something right.

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