I’ve decided that I must be getting old. In the last year or so, I’ve noticed that I mostly listen to talk radio in the car, rather than music. It creeped up on me. I didn’t even see it coming.
Some of my favorites (most are from NPR) are This American Life, Car Talk, All Things Considered, Calling All Pets, The Splendid Table, and Handel on the Law.
What talk radio programs do you like?
Handel On The Law is kick-ass funny legal advice, IMHO. When the signal comes in, I listen to Bernie Ward out of KGO San Francisco. In fact, I bought a Select-Antenna just for that purpose.
As a daily radio talk show listener, I’ll add the Howie Carr Show to the mix. It’s just the right mix of politics and entertainment I need in the late afternoon. But, it probably wouldn’t interest you NPR-types. 
I listen to the BBC, Radio Netherlands, Deutsch Welle, Radio Havana, Voice of America, and other english radio programming available via shortwave. On the domestic side, Bruce Williams, Jim Bohannon, and Michael Reagan are interesting at times.
A local station in Newcastle, in the North of England used to run a gardening show, at 12.00 on a Snnday afternoon - being a teenager at the time, this was just about when I was getting up and preparing to face the day. Now, I have next to no interest in gardening… but I listened to this show religiously, because - well, they didn’t really have much interest in gardening either. They knew their stuff, and when they were pinned in a corner they answered the quesions, but generally they specialised in talking complete gibberish, to the huge annoyance of whoever it was who’d called in looking for actual advice.
Very funny to listen to.
Ohhh…I have been a talk radio junkie since the early 80s.
Recently NPR in Denver obtained a second station which is all talk & commentary. I don’t own a TV, so it’s my main news source & I like the BBC world news. Since I absolutely abhor commercials, I rarely listen to anything else now…besides their usual fare, I think “What Do You Know” with Michael Feldman is a hoot.
On the commercial side, I sometimes listen to Tom Martino (consumer advocate). I drop in on the bible thumping shows or Dr Laura, but I wouldn’t call those favourites. More like slowing down to identify roadkill on the highway.
Phil Hendrie! Phile Hendrie!! Phil Hendrie!!!
Seriously, that man is a friggin’ genius… or absolutely insane and schizophrenic. Or maybe he’s both. But in either case, his show is wickedly clever and a delicious social satire.
I listen to talk radio all the time when I’m working my night job; I also try to listen by day, whenever I can. My favorites are Mike Gallagher, Papa Joe Chevallier, Tom Martino the Troubleshooter, Jim Bohannon, Handel on the Law, and Art Bell ( :eek: ). And, if time permits, the Tony Cornheiser show on ESPN Radio.
Two from NPR, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me (I have a Carl Kassel air freshener for my car) and Says You.
Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me and What Do You Know (Not much! You?) are both great. Too bad WAMU in DC killed WDYK. Damn them.
But I’d take Neil Spitzers American Routes. A great piece each week on roots music and what made it all happen.
And, no offense, but I find This American Life to be unbearable. Those people need a sense of humor.
I tend to think of Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition (Saturday; my local NPR affiliate doesn’t broadcast the Sunday edition) as one big news/feature show with different hosts, since they’re all so similar.
That said, Weekend Edition is probably still my favorite, because it has Scott Simon for its amiable, witty host and great movie reviews by Elvis Mitchell. To say nothing of the twinkly reading of children’s books we often get from Scott and Daniel Pinkwater.
And I’m with SPOOFE on Phil Hendrie. He’s brilliantly funny.
I know I’m missing a lot by not owning a shortwave radio. I hear nothing but good things about Deutsche Welle and the BBC World Service. Is there a shortwave radio program guide out there? Maybe I should finally break down and buy one.
None taken, of course. My husband hates that program too.
Howard Stern
Paul Harris, former classic rock DJ. He was half of the Harris & the Predictor morning show for a couple of DC-area classic rock stations but now has a solo show on KTRS in St. Louis. Funny, his last DC gig had him and Dave the Predictor doing afternoon drive-time after their station hired The Greaseman.
Paul Harris has a great show. KTRS is a great station. I listen to it almost all day long. Paul Harris is a good host because he has a great sense of humor and doesn’t keep people that have different opinions from getting on the show. Don’t forget about the Frank O. Pinion Show!
Definitely Car Talk!
I disagree about This American Life needing to get
a sense of humor. Can’t you detect a little tongue
in cheek, a self-spoofing sense of inflated importance,
if not in each guest, than in the whole atmosphere
of the show?
btw Jazz- what is the Splendid Table? My local
NPR affiliate doesnt get that one. Could it be
the show that gets spoofed-hilariously-on SNL
as “The Delicious Dish”?
Phil Hendrie and all things considered on NPR.
Another vote for Car Talk
But…I also love to listen to G Gorgon Liddy
I don’t agree with the right winger…but it is fun to listen to.
Fresh Air with Terry Gross
Car Talk with Tom and Ray Magliozzi
What Do Ya’ Know with Michael Feldman
And, yeah, I dig This American Life. I will sit in my car, laughing out loud, when David Sedaris is on.
And as someone with fairly left leaning political views, it’s hard for me to say, but I find G. Gordon Liddy damned entertaining.