# "I'd Rather Eat Pants" on NPR's Morning Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418 "2002-12-17T21:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bristlesage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@bristlesage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bristlesage)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/21 "2002-12-19T00:27:35Z")
I heard it this morning in bed. Usually I sit and listen to a piece or two after the alarm goes off, but ack! I couldn’t listen today. Now there’s a talent agency and Paramount TV and kids juggling. I’ve never hated anything on NPR, but this is walking a fine, fine line with me. I think I’ll come into work early tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![B.Pants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@B.Pants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Pants)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/22 "2002-12-19T01:22:24Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d rather eat pants Please don’t! ---
**Author:** ![Yersinia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ccd318/32.png) [@Yersinia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersinia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/23 "2002-12-19T01:41:13Z")
I caught episode 3 this morning by accident. It was WAY too shrill–squealing and early morning do not mix well. It actually bothered me enough that I fired off an email to NPR asking them to MAKE IT STOP. It ain’t funny and the sound is just incredibly obnoxious. Couldn’t they at least start it at some random time, like 7:42, so that it’s not the absolute first thing I hear in the morning? Don’t most people set their alarms for nice round numbers? OTOH, I did rocket right out of bed this morning…maybe I should tape tomorrow’s section and use it when it’s especially urgent I get up on time! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/24 "2002-12-19T03:59:52Z")
Any more room in there, **Cervaise**? Yep, it was hate at first listen. It was a good time to turn the radio off altogether. Aside from the overtly “comedic” pieces on NPR, many of their human-interest radio essayists just annoy the hell out of me. Stick to the informative stuff, NPR – that’s what you’re good at. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/25 "2002-12-19T15:32:28Z")
I accidentally listened to today’s episode. Great Goddess, it gets _worse_ each day. It seems like the script was written by chimps. I was making some Christmas cookies, and if I did not have dough-covered fingers, I would have slapped my radio into blessed silence. I missed yesterday’s awfulness because I needed to sleep in. We had tornado warnings in my area, so I was awake for most of the night (we were lucky here–the storm bearing down on us turned a bit to the north, so we had no serious damage in our town). Our tornado warning siren proved to be somewhat difficult for the city guys to shut off—we listened to them discussing the problem on our scanner, so it shrieked for _almost an hour_ after the danger had passed.\ After my ears stopped ringing, and I finally got some sleep, the last thing I would have wanted to hear was the raucous squealing and whining of the “Peppersteins”. This morning, I heard the synopsis of yesterday’s show. Oh, the horror… Does anyone like this show? Anyone? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/26 "2002-12-19T16:13:20Z")
Apparently you’re not alone: [USA Today – Listeners have news for NPR: ‘Pants’ program doesn’t fit](http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2002-12-18-media-mix_x.htm) [/QUOTE] What the folks at National Public Radio hoped would be a whimsical break from the routine of Morning Edition has been met with a chorus of boos from some rattled listeners. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/27 "2002-12-19T16:17:58Z")
Gah–accidentally heard some of it this morning. Surfer wisdom? Breaking into some bad talent agent’s darkened, windowless office and bumping into furniture? What? Why? It ain’t funny! Turned off the radio, shaved my chin in silence. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/28 "2002-12-19T16:23:18Z")
> [@](#): > > “We meant this as a pleasant Christmas gift. It’s a **funny** radio drama. Nothing heavy.” They think people are just PO’d because it’s “different” from what they’re used to hearing in the morning. No. That’s not all there is to it–IT’S NOT FUNNY. Hell, if they ran audio from The Simpsons or Seinfeld during that stretch, I probably would not turn off the radio. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/29 "2002-12-19T16:58:10Z")
When I worked in the hospital, we had post mortem examinations that were funnier than IREP. I can’t imagine what substances I’d need to ingest to render that program even mildly amusing. As an earlier post pointed out-leave the funny to Car Talk. Ira Glass has come up with some funny bits on This American Life, in all fairness to his spot. * * * Is Cervaise clean yet? ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/30 "2002-12-19T17:12:10Z")
What’s even worse than the radio “comedy” itself is the synopsis before each episode begins, where we’re forced to listening to the previous day’s unfunny jokes and a cast list that seems to go on forever (and I think we can officially declare Ed Begley Jr.'s acting career DOA.) The episodes themselves only seem to be around ten minutes, but I could swear each synopsis is at least twice that long. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/31 "2002-12-19T17:42:02Z")
The interesting thing, to me, is that this is a divvied-up recording of a _live performance in front of an audience._ And with each succeeding installment, you can hear the actors going faster and faster as they realize the audience _just isn’t laughing._ This morning’s was the worst: “Somebody say something!” - “Knock knock.” Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat. Even if something might have been funny, the actors’ increasing desperation is killing it. Just a train wreck. Sad, really. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/32 "2002-12-19T17:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s even worse than the radio “comedy” itself is the synopsis before each episode begins, where we’re forced to listening to the previous day’s unfunny jokes and a cast list that seems to go on forever. Yeah. In some ways, the _very_ worst part was the special preview last Friday, where we were introduced to the concept and given a special preview of the highlights. When the highlights make you consider changing the station, you know you’ve got a stinker on your hands. As others have said, I wouldn’t mind the show if it were remotely funny. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/33 "2002-12-19T18:34:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by danceswithcats \* > When I worked in the hospital, we had post mortem examinations that were funnier than IREP. Now, THAT’S a ringing endorsement!!! 😃 The _concept_ of a radio comedy could have been a good one. Maybe next time–if there _is_ a next time–but what a _painful_ learning curve. It’s a shame, really. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/34 "2002-12-19T19:41:57Z")
I’ve only been semi-conscious when I’ve heard bits and chunks of this segment but, from what I have, four words come to mind: self consciously forced wackiness. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/35 "2002-12-20T00:28:53Z")
This thread has something I don’t believe I’ve ever seen in any thread on the Straight Dope before: unanimity. You could post that you like ice cream and some sourpuss would come in and say he ate ice cream once and broke out in hives and that anyone who likes ice cream should be deported to Mongolia. _I’d Rather Eat Pants_ flat out reeks. I’d rather eat pants than listen to “I’d Rather Eat Pants”. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/36 "2002-12-20T00:35:03Z")
[Another article](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53010-2002Dec13.html) on the show, this one from _The Washington Post_. It ran before the serial started, though. I loved this quote from Bob Edwards: > [@](#): > > Edwards isn’t entirely sold on the concept. “I’m withholding judgment,” he said this week. “It is a news program, after all. I don’t know how tolerant our listeners are. I’m concerned whether there’ll be some kind of outcry. We’ll see.” We’re not very tolerant of crap, at any rate… ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/37 "2002-12-20T00:53:31Z")
I love this thread, because up until know I thought IREP couldn’t possibly be as bad as I thought it was. Something’s wrong, I thought. I’ve lost my appreciation for absurd humor. There’s something behind these outdated stereotypes that I’m not getting. There’s a point to all these knock-knock jokes. Maybe I’ll watch Spinal Tap tonight, or The Holy Grail, or Young Frankenstein. Hell, maybe I’ll watch TV. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/38 "2002-12-20T01:14:36Z")
The very name sucks! I’m supprised Ed Asner would do something like this. carnivorousplant: You listen’ to 'Train in the AM? Way to Go!!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/39 "2002-12-20T01:51:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jake \* > \*\* 'Train in the AM? \*\* It does something for you, driving in the dark at 6:30 AM. Can you reccomend any titles? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418/40 "2002-12-23T12:46:32Z")
Heh, I just heard _Morning Edition_ read from their letters and the vast majority of listeners **hated** this dreck, so I doubt they’ll be inflicting anything of the like on us anytime soon. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-rather-eat-pants-on-nprs-morning-edition/143418.md?page=3)