The midwestern thing…I dunno. I mean, I used to love Prairie Home Companion, and that’s midwestern humor, is it not?
Anyway, I guess based on the feedback here, I should try to at least listen to an entire show all the way through once. I don’t know that I’ll be convinced, though.
My initial reaction to the show was the same as the OP’s. I had a friend who was always raving about this show but every time I listened to it, I failed to see the humor and couldn’t figure out why he thought it was so funny. Eventually I came to realize, as others have said, that the humor is very low-key, and part of the fun is having the jokes fall flat. (And it’s not always because the joke isn’t funny – sometimes it’s just not obvious and you have to stop and think about it to get the humor.)
The other thing I like about the show is that it is live, and listening to him roll with it when things don’t always pan out as expected, like when they can’t get someone on the phone for “Town of the Week”. (Or, in one memorable case, a scheduled guest!)
I don’t go out of my way to listen to it, but if I’m in my car on Saturday morning (which is fairly often), I’ll listen to it. It’s not hysterical, but it’s often amusing and also some of the guests are genuinely interesting. And I like the music (most of the time).
I was wondering why I’d never heard Wait, wait… so I checked our affiliate’s schedule; it apparently runs 11am - noon on Sunday when I’m sitting in church. I’ll have to check it out online.
I do really like Says You, as well, which they play here a couple of times each week.
Sort of. I think PHC has a little more of a “laughing at midwesterners” tone to it than laughing with us. Although it certainly is popular in the midwest. I think some of those people either don’t know it’s supposed to be funny, or feel the (understandable after 4 months of winter) desire to laugh at those around them.
Wasn’t our own Boyo Jim on Whaddya Know when he won the bad-sentence writing contest? If a Doper’s been on it, it has to have some merit!
That said, it is only mildly amusing. However, I’m in favor of the entire world slowing down a bit, so it’s nice to listen to something that’s not X-TREME!!! for a change.
PHC is always about those OTHER midwesterners, not us. You know, those ones who put too much mayonnaise in everything and think all their children are above average. Not like us. They’re the funny ones, and it’s funny because it’s true…about them. Not us. Got it? We’re not like that, no sirree, but SOME midwesterners sure are! 
I agree that “Whaddaya Know” isn’t as funny as “Wait Wait…”, but it’s still amusing. It’s also inoffensive and good to listen to in the car to avoid disputes over what music to listen to. I can listen to it with my kids or my grandmother and never have to worry about anyone blushing or asking awkward questions. I may not be laughing out loud much, but for most of the show, I’m quietly smiling.
I *like *that it’s not riotous or, as Ellen Cherry says, “X-TREME!!!” It’s just kind of quiet, old fashioned soothing jovial radio. Unlike some of NPR’s offerings, I don’t have to get choked up because of some report from a war torn country I didn’t even know existed or anxious because of the latest version of how we’re all going to die if we don’t save the frogs…
Now “Car Talk”, that’s some funny radio. And I don’t know, or really want to know, a thing about cars. It’s just a blast listening to two funny guys who do! It’s like listening to my uncles at family dinners, only with more wisecracks and less swearing.
Also, if you are a true midwesterner, you have family members who wouldn’t get the jokes in PHC.
It reminds me of a PHC sketch about how good some pasta was, with fresh basil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and just a drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil … And the Minnesotan lady says to the Minnesotan guy “Not bad.”
I have relatives that, before I tried to explain to them why this was funny, I would have to explain to them why pasta with fresh basil, and real parmesan, and good olive oil is good, in a way that truly transcends any type of noodle hotdish. Then I would have to explain why “Not bad” was a funny response … I think some of my family would tune that in and think Garrison Keillor was running a cooking show segment.
To contrast with a WYK feature, consider Thanks for the Memos. I know that has had me laughing out loud from time to time. But that’s about the foibles of people in power, either back at Corporate or some midwesterner gotten too big for his britches, making some ridiculous edict to the salt of the earth regular folks. It’s a down-home “we know that’s not going to work.”
In each case it’s a “they don’t get it ha ha,” but the *them * and the *us * are different.
I think this may also explain why PHC is the bigger hit. It pays better to be funny to New Yorkers and Californians.
Whew - that’s way too much deconstruction of midwestern humor. Obviously your laughtrack mileage may vary.
In the eighties it was the funniest thing going. Comics get older and unfunnier. See George Carlin.
I was thinking about asking something like this. I remember many years ago I used to find the show entertaining. But when I caught it again a few times recently, it seemed exactly as you describe.
I was wondering if maybe Feldman has “lost his edge” or something? (Not to imply that he was ever “edgy,” I just mean to speculate whether he’s not as good at doing what he does as he once was.)
-FrL-
He has his Rabbi on one Saturday morning. How much funnier can you get? 
Is Feldman still cheating on his wife?
You misspelled “beating.”
Did he do that on the air? Because that would’ve been one hell of a show.
I’d agree with lissener that the show was funnier when it was fresher, but I’d also say that even then it was usually amusing rather than laugh-out-loud funny.
I have, occasionally, wondered whether the show doesn’t have a certain NASCAR appeal. You know, where you tune in just to see the wreck. I remember several times when they had such a hard time getting a phone-in contestant for the first hour’s quiz that the quiz ran into the second hour.
I also love when they’re having a hard time getting a right answer and Jim will decide on the spot that the margin of error for the answer is suddenly not 5 but 85 or something like that.
Dude, it’s NPR. They don’t *do *laugh-out-loud; that would be gauche. A polite covering of the mouth while you intone “Très amusant” is sufficient.
I agree with the NPR characterization, but Asimovian did mention audible laughter as one of his criteria for judging the funniness of the show.
One must realize, though, that “Not bad!” is about as intense a superlative as a hardcore Minnesotan is comfortable with. In the right inflection and tone, it is praise enough for the Rockies or the Pyramids - and certainly for a fresh made pasta.
I made it a point to listen to that particular episode, and while I did enjoy hearing the interview with Boyo Jim, most of the rest of the show felt like a lame attempt to kill time. The parts that were scripted were by bottom-of-the-barrel writers, and the parts that weren’t scripted should have been.
That may be the coldest thing I have ever read on this board.
I envy you.