Monthly Archives: May 2020

Work and Holiday – Episode 13

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“First prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third Prize is you’re fired!” These are the merciless admonishments of Blake, Alec Baldwin’s unforgettable character in the film “Glengarry Glen Ross,” as he delivers the bitter news to a lacking Real Estate sales team–all but two of them will be given the can. Unfortunately, job uncertainty is a reality for many Americans during the Coronavirus pandemic. It is certainly no laughing matter, but to bring a little bit of levity to a tough issue, we have focused this week’s episode on some pieces that examine the lighter side of work, or lack thereof. Humorists Jack Handey and Kurt Lucks give us some hilarious examples of “Letters of Recommendation” and “Job Rejections” geared toward less than desirable applicants. Phil Hartman appears as a character with an unusual job description, the “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” from Saturday Night Live. And just like some folks can’t wait to take a holiday from their normal job, we will be taking a Billie Holiday throughout the episode, letting Lady Day’s wistful tunes whisk us away from the worries of the day.

Sidney and Bessie – Episode 12

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“Somebody told me this Bessie, she was the damnedest singer, and I asked her to sing, and that’s how it started. Just as soon as she started out I knew her voice was something that would really have the public going.” That’s legendary New Orleans born jazz saxophonist and clarinetist Sidney Bechet recounting memories from his collaborations with Bessie Smith, just one of the sections from Bechet’s autobiography which we feature on this week’s episode. Bechet spent much of his time in Paris, and had a knack for finding trouble. In his own words, we are given a glimpse into his many journeys, a stint he served in prison, and his work with Bessie and others. Of course, we will feature much of his wonderful, energetic music along the way. Before we dive into Bechet, Joe discusses some of the new realities of home based education and introduces a hilarious and prescient New Yorker piece from a decade ago called “Home Colleging,” read here by Barbara Rosenblit.

Bakin’ Tips and Mason Bits – Episode 11

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This episode marks the 6th edition since the Coronavirus quarantine began, and we hope that it finds you healthy, safe, and finding some joy in a slower, more sedentary pace of life. Many people have been finding outlets for the newfound time at home in cooking, crafting, home projects, new skills, and also baking, a favorite pastime of our host Joe Weber. Joe comes from a long line of bakery suppliers and has been baking bread himself for 50 years, so he thought that this would be a good chance to share some essential tips and techniques learned from his many years of trial and error.
 
But the bread is just the first course of an episode chock full of delectable treats — two classic comedy bits by Jackie Mason, a reading from Richard Yates, some humor by Jack Handey, and a couple of Cole Porter tunes are just some of the menu items on offer. We even feature an appearance from Christopher Walken and his favorite instrumentalist. We hope you enjoy!

Frank O’Connor’s ‘The Genius’ – Episode 10

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“So far, our town hadn’t had a proper genius, and I intended to supply the deficiency.” So says Larry, the precocious young narrator of Frank O’Connor’s 1957 short story “The Genius.” It is one of several of O’Connor’s stories told from the perspective of a child, and follows our genius Larry navigating the lesser minds around him, questioning where babies come from, and trying not to look dumb in front of his new crush Una. This episode features Joe reading this classic story, along with some musings from another of our favorite deep thinkers, humorist Jack Handey. We also feature Richard Wilbur reading his poem, “The Last One,” and as always, some wonderful music. We hope you enjoy it!