It’s supposed to commemorate the opening of NPR’s new L.A.-based West Coast production center. I suppose it’s fitting that their first piece plays like it was calculated to be massively popular, but really just falls flat. That’s Hollywood for you…
It’s a great reminder of NPR’s strengths, as well, as “I’d Rather Eat Pants” sidesteps every last one of them.
Has anyone else heard this show? Does anyone think it’s funny?
I’ve heard it and was not impressed. The writing is too over the top. The writers need to listen to some good radio comedy to get the feel for it. They are trying too hard. They should listen to Fibber McGee and Molly, Great Gildersleve, or The Bickersons. Each had “characters” but they were believable characters in a weird sort of way. None of these are.
But I suppose it takes a while to get the feel of a “new” medium and the writers of this thing probably have never heard radio comedy. But you would think that Ann Mera and Ed Asner had and would take a shot at straightening the writers out. Or possibly it is these two old war horses who are “hamming it up” too much and haven’t yet learned where to step back for radio having never done a radio series.
I’m not real amused by it. I’m usually getting ready for work when it’s playing. I don’t make an effort to pay much attention when it comes on, based on what I’ve heard.
I listened yesterday. This morning, I used that block of time to take a shower. I’d much rather miss that than any of the much more worthwhile programming on NPR.
Still, I like the idea of radio plays. It’d be nifty to have more.
I was surprised to find that Ed Asner was still breathing. My next thought was, “What the hell is this doing on a ‘news’ program?” It’s not all that funny and really doesn’t belong on Morning Edition at all.
I really don’t think of M.E. as an “all news” program. While I haven’t heard this particular radio playlet, I hope that they continue to go in this direction. Bring on the plays, poetry, music, sketch comedy, etc. I think that going in a more eclectic direction is more in tune with the original conception of the program. Besides, Morning Edition has been veering into a dry, stale, tone lately, so it’s great to have something like this liven it up!
If you’re looking for a “news” program, I’m sure there is an all-news station on your AM dial. (Y’know–“traffic on the 8’s”)
Sadly, in my area, AM reception is best described as “piss poor to nonexistant.” There is an FM “news” station, but it’s little more than right-wing talk radio. At least with NPR, I don’t have to listen to the host screeching that this country’s going to hell in a handbasket after every other news piece.
Aw, c’mon - you didn’t find the yodeling state trooper in Kansas to be believable?
I’ve heard it each morning as I’ve been driving to work. I’m not impressed, but drive-time radio here sucks worse than this series, so I won’t be changing stations… yet…
It is the only thing that can get us out of bed as we leap up to turn off the clock radio.
It sounds like some hack old vaudeville actor was brought in to write it:
Yeah, we’ll have a guy from California, see and he’ll be realllll flakey, see, and they’ll have to ride a motorcycle. Guy comes home from standing in line at a soup kitchen all day, he wants funny, and I know funny. Everyone’s worried about Mussolini and German Zepplins, we need funny…
I don’t mind the idea of doing something like “I’d Rather Eat Pants.” I’d just like it to be good, or at least not painful to listen to. I switched to our local alternative station this morning after the first minute or so of the episode.
I find that, in general, neither “Morning Edition” nor “All Things Considered” do comedy bits very well. Most of the short commentaries that I hear come across as more labored than funny (and IREP is the epitome of labored unfunniness). I don’t think it’s something inherent in the programs, but I’d guess that they just don’t have the resources (or haven’t used them) to develop or find talented comedy writers for those shows.
Many other shows on NPR, though, do manage to be funny, so it’s not the entire station.
I have only caught the last half of the shows, so my opinion may not count, but no, I don’t find it amusing. I heard an interview with either the author or director last week and he compared it to an “old style” radio show. Apparently “old style” is code for boring.
Shower? Alarm?
Lucky so-in-sos, I’m driving to work.
I quit on the first episode, with the checkout kid. I listen to the classical station or a CD (John Coltrane yesterday) until 7:00 CST for their news or maybe a tad early for that damn money show.
I get up at 5AM and leave for work at 6:15. I listen to Morning Edition in the shower and while walking to the bus (not long on the bus–the reception is so lousy that the station fades out after I get a mile out of town). I would listen to a 1010 WINS / KYW 1060 all-news station, but I can’t get one in my area.
When I heard the commercials for it (“Later on Morning Edition …”) I couldn’t figure out what the hell it was, and why the heck it was on a news program. The clips sounded painfully unfunny–much like everything else that passes for humor on NPR. I’m just glad I only have such a narrow listening window, and that it doesn’t take up my valuable news-listening time.
