I have a borderline obsession with Wait wait... don't tell me! It's a news quiz that is on NPR every week. Click here to learn more, I dare you.
I first learned of WWDTM (yes, it has an acronym) back in 1999 (Really? Ten years?). I thought it was a joke. I mean, had anyone ever heard anything remotely funny on NPR? Let's be real. But then there it was, real, smart humor. At least to some of us.
I used to be happy to catch it now and then when I was out for a drive, but now that Jared showed me how to download the podcast (honestly, this technology scares me) I find myself anxiously awaiting every episode.Thus, my ipod is filled with a nerdy quiz show, and I can't get enough. I find myself silently praying that Mo Rocca and Paula Poundstone will be on the panel every week. It is a rare treat (as any die-hard fan will tell you) to have them both on at the same time.
For the past week I have toyed with the idea of submitting my name as a listener contestant. The prize for getting two of three questions correct is Carl Kassell's voice on my answering machine. How cool is that? Only my fellow fans would know the absolute significance... Has anyone ever called someone to find Carl's voice on the machine? You would think you would run into it more often.
My obsession with the show has led to another obsession I need to confess: My fanatic tendencies toward Mo Rocca. He is one of the funniest people ever. His blog (which sadly, is no longer updated) is a wealth of humor and wit. Please, watch the Ped Egg videos, I literally cried tears.
Yesterday I found myself dreaming of the ultimate dinner party. I would invite Mo, Paula (who I have thought was hilarious for years) and uh, maybe a few other friends. I don't know what we would eat but we would spend the evening making sarcastic remarks about politics, life, and literature (Flowers for Algernon anyone?). I would laugh at them, they would laugh at me, we would bond for a lifetime. Of course no one would bring up that sordid custody/neglect issue Paula dealt with years ago...
Stay tuned for the This American Life post, complete with "driveway moments".
1 comment:
Hi, I was thinking of this post today when I was listening to NPR and What Do You Know came on. It sucks and I hate it. Wait Wait is so much better. I get annoyed because when I am driving around on Saturdays I always hear What Do You Know and I would rather hear Wait Wait Don't Tell Me...
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