# NPR'S Corey Fintoff Is One Of The Pod People????

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [March 17, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752 "2002-03-17T18:23:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/1 "2002-03-17T18:23:34Z")

</div>

Okay, okay. I know this is EXTREMELY far-out, but bear with me here.

For those of you who don’t know who the esteemed [Corey Flintoff](http://www.npr.org/about/people/bios/cflintoff.html) is, he’s one hell of a great writer and reporter.

Here’s my little issue. In the last few weeks, it appears to ME that Mr. Flintoff has been replaced with a cleverly produced **near-perfect** copy !!!

How can I tell? The timbre of his voice has changed. I can’t put my finger on what’s happened, all I know is that this is NOT my Mom’s Corey Flintoff.

I want answers. I want them right now. Fellow NPR-Doper’s I turn to thee. At roughly 5:00 p.m. EST each day, are we or are we **NOT** being hoodwinked???

I can’t even sleep any more. It’s eating me up alive. As I said, I really do respect this person’s work immensely, so don’t go and tell me to write to him and ask him if he’s been replaced by a near-perfect copy, ok?

Besides. The near-perfect copy would lie. :eek:

Anyone else hearing a marked difference in this person’s speaking voice?

\>\>twitch twitch\<\< 🆒

Cartooniverse

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/2 "2002-03-17T18:37:03Z")

</div>

Not to get too personal or anything, but when did you last clean out your ears??

To answer your question - I have absolutely no idea.

Glad to be of service! 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/3 "2002-03-17T18:57:17Z")

</div>

I love Corey. Is his name Flintoff or Fintoff? I need more info so I can become a full-fledged stalker.

When you feel that he is sending special messages directly to you, then I might suggest some intervention. Otherwise, his voice is fine.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/4 "2002-03-17T23:12:04Z")

</div>

Maybe he’s got a cold?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/5 "2002-03-18T00:53:09Z")

</div>

You’ve been listening to too much NPR crap when you can tell little things like that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/6 "2002-03-18T02:56:10Z")

</div>

_ **THAT’S COREY FLINTOFF??!!!** _

My-my-my-mymymymymy-my.

I pictured him about 20 years younger; there’s something about his voice that belies his years.

I’m too whacked to think if there’s been a change.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/7 "2002-03-18T04:26:06Z")

</div>

I thought he was younger, too. Not like he’s in Carl Kasell territory, but there seems to be a minimum age to be a newsreader at NPR.

Speaking of the great Carl, could some of our pledges be used to buy that guy some Polygrip? Jeeze, listening to his dentures clack all morning drives me nuts!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/8 "2002-03-18T04:41:00Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by OxyMoron \*  
> \*\*_ **THAT’S COREY FLINTOFF??!!!** _  
> \*\*

Ya know…I even Previewed the damned thing first. My bad, it IS Spelled Corey Flintoff.

Some nice Mod, take pity on a Doper who was dumb enough to post while having the Flu??? :rolleyes:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/9 "2002-03-18T04:50:34Z")

</div>

So, I’m at the NPR bios, ostensibly to see how John Ydstie and Snigdha Prakash spell their names, but I’m really checking out The Babes of NPR.

Well, hello, Fiona Ritchie! 😉

I also noticed that both Diane Rehm and Bailey White are much younger than you’d ever guess from their voices. (Has Rehm had a stroke? She sounds like it. ☹ ) Okay, I knew how old Bailey White is and also how CUTE she is, but she still sounds ninety.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/10 "2002-03-18T16:09:50Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dropzone \*  
> **So, I’m at the NPR bios, ostensibly to see how John Ydstie and Snigdha Prakash spell their names**

Okay, so I’ve done the EXACT same thing for Snigdha Prakash. And Mandalit Del Barco (not sure if I got that one right, but I’m too lazy to check it again). But I figured John would spell his last name with an “I”!

Thanks for clearing that up.

–scout, fellow pathetic loser

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/11 "2002-03-18T17:01:51Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dropzone \*  
> \*\*but I’m really checking out The Babes of NPR.  
> \*\*

You mean you don’t have the calendar?  
\*\*

> [@](#):
>
> (Has Rehm had a stroke? She sounds like it. \*\*

She has not had a stroke. She has a neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia that affects the speach centre. She gets treatments for it and every once in a while she sounds great. AFAIK, the disorder will only get worse as time goes on.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/12 "2002-03-18T17:03:54Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by adam yax \*  
> \*\*
> 
> She has a neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia that affects the speach centre. \*\*

And it seems that I have spasmodic dystypia that forces me to spell speech as speach.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/13 "2002-03-18T17:32:54Z")

</div>

\*\*

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by adam yax \*
> 
> She has not had a stroke. She has a neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia that affects the speach centre. She gets treatments for it and every once in a while she sounds great. AFAIK, the disorder will only get worse as time goes on. \*\*

That’s really unfortunate :(. I think she’s the best interviewer working right now (including Ted Koppel, who’s also terrific but not quite as incisive IMHO). I’d been listening to her for years on WAMU in DC and was so glad she’d finally gone national. I hope with treatment she has many more productive years ahead of her.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/14 "2002-03-18T18:11:35Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by adam yax \*  
> **She gets treatments for it and every once in a while she sounds great.**

Which would explain why it sounds like somebody else has been doing her promos lately (I haven’t heard her show in a while). And why she’s looks to be about my age (based on when she became a lowly assistant producer) but sounds older.

I can only listen to her on the net or in certain places while in my car because the Chicago station doesn’t carry her.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2002, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/15 "2002-03-20T11:08:02Z")

</div>

I know that it’s usually considered bad form to start a thread and then not post into it again, but you’re all doing such a bang-up job and besides, I stated my theory in the OP.

From what I’m reading, irony abounds at NPR. They have the best stuff and the worst vocal chords to support that stuff.

There is no justice. I also awoke with this awful feeling that SOMEONE who writes or produces for “All Things Considered” is a Doper… :eek:  
Cartooniverse

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![dwbern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@dwbern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwbern)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/16 "2010-07-01T00:23:47Z")

</div>

I too recognize this voice change. I found this thread due to Googling this issue. This makes two of us. Possibilities:

1. Digital changes to voice due to reporting from foreign country via phone.
2. Unreported change in physical health.
3. Possession by unknown entity.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/17 "2010-07-01T00:32:35Z")

</div>

is there a rule that The Onion will always have [a related article](http://www.theonion.com/articles/corey-flintoff-unleashes-sonorous-pleasantly-modul,3157/)?

> [@The Onion](#):
>
> “God fucking dammit,” Flintoff warmly intoned after dropping a heavy-duty router on his foot while working in his garage. “Stupid fucking cocksucking son of a bitch.” Added Flintoff in a lush baritone: “Goddamn motherfucking shit-for-brains. This is NPR.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/18 "2010-07-01T01:57:36Z")

</div>

> [@dropzone](#):
>
> I thought he was younger, too. Not like he’s in Carl Kasell territory, but there seems to be a minimum age to be a newsreader at NPR.
> 
> Speaking of the great Carl, could some of our pledges be used to buy that guy some Polygrip? Jeeze, listening to his dentures clack all morning drives me nuts!

Hahahahahahaaaaaa!!! I thought I was the only one who this drove nuts. I find myself changing the station or turning the volume down because of it. Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Kasell seems to be a nice man and a consumate professional, but man, that clicking, clacking, and snapping drives me up a wall.

Thank goodness Mr. Kasell doesn’t have too much of a role on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, but who in their right mind would want his voice on their answering machine, and how is that a prize?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/19 "2010-07-01T02:18:04Z")

</div>

Being a zombie makes your voice sound different, too.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nprs-corey-fintoff-is-one-of-the-pod-people/98752/20 "2010-07-01T02:31:53Z")

</div>

Welcome to the SDMB, **dwbern**. We prefer that people not revive really old threads, which we call zombies, so I’m going to lock this one. Hope you’ll find other, more recent, threads that you’ll want to participate in as well.

In the meantime, you might want to head over to ATMB (About This Message Board), where there’s some info about the rules and etiquette of life hereabouts.

Again, welcome!

**twickster** , MPSIMS moderator
