# Favorite Talk Radio Programs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088 "2001-08-20T03:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/1 "2001-08-20T03:29:18Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/2 "2001-08-20T04:05:06Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/3 "2001-08-20T04:48:13Z")
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. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tedster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@Tedster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tedster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/4 "2001-08-20T05:23:47Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Insert\_Name\_Here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f08c70/32.png) [@Insert\_Name\_Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Insert_Name_Here)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/5 "2001-08-20T08:25:23Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/6 "2001-08-20T10:34:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/7 "2001-08-20T10:42:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/8 "2001-08-20T13:08:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/9 "2001-08-20T13:46:39Z")
Two from NPR, _Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me_ (I have a Carl Kassel air freshener for my car) and _Says You_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/10 "2001-08-20T14:33:07Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/11 "2001-08-20T15:59:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/12 "2001-08-20T17:20:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*And, no offense, but I find _This American Life_ to be unbearable. Those people need a sense of humor. \*\* None taken, of course. My husband hates that program too. ---
**Author:** ![horhay\_achoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@horhay\_achoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horhay_achoa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/13 "2001-08-20T17:44:00Z")
Howard Stern ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/14 "2001-08-22T19:42:36Z")
[Paul Harris](http://www.harrisonline.com/), 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](http://www.ktrs.com/) in St. Louis. Funny, his last DC gig had him and Dave the Predictor doing afternoon drive-time after their station hired The Greaseman. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bitterdrunk\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@The\_Bitterdrunk\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bitterdrunk_Kid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/15 "2001-08-22T20:16:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*[Paul Harris](http://www.harrisonline.com/), 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](http://www.ktrs.com/) 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! ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/16 "2001-08-23T19:00:40Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/17 "2001-08-23T19:03:23Z")
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”? ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/18 "2001-08-23T19:11:09Z")
Phil Hendrie and all things considered on NPR. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/19 "2001-08-23T19:12:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088/20 "2001-08-23T22:19:26Z")
_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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-talk-radio-programs/77088.md?page=2)