Radio Sweetheart

I have a confession to make:

I listen to the radio - ALL THE TIME. I probably listen to the radio more than I watch television.
And I'm not talking about just satellite radio (I'm a Sirius subscriber/advocate), but shitty, terrestrial radio too; except, I only listen to talk radio on the latter.I love the fact that something so simple can be so entertaining. In a culture where we're bombarded with visuals, radio is such a calming, refreshing escape from the outside world (I feel this way even when I'm listening to the news on WNYC).

As far back as I can remember, the radio was a Sunday afternoon staple in my family. No televisions were allowed on Sunday - only book reading or listening to public radio, or a classical music station. My parents weren't religious, or strict, or anything like that; but nonetheless, Sunday was the day for rest and radio.

As mentioned before, I still love radio, and with the technology available for the medium today, I'm surprised that more people don't listen to it. For example, podcasts - you can listen to your favorite radio show on demand; even listen to user-created shows. Lately, listening podcasts of archived radio shows has kind of become a nightly ritual for me.

Here are my top three favorite podcasted radio shows (can also be heard on WNYC):


1.) This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass - literary journalism (with some fiction mixed in) for the radio. The show touches on all types of themes like special ed, superpowers, pets, etc.
Some of my favorite "episodes" from this show include:

* The House by Loon Lake - a crazy true-life mystery about an abandoned house.
* Liars - various compiled true stories of compulsive liars
* Fiasco! - The Peter Pan play story is hilarious!
* Houses of Ill Repute - especially the story of the old man whose Brooklyn home is taken over by prostitutes
* With Great Power - esp. Shalom Auslander's story, "Waiting for Joe"
* pretty much anytime David Sedaris reads, TMBG performs/are interviewed, they play Mates of State songs, etc.


2.) Radiolab, hosted by Jad Abamrad and Robert Krulwich - who knew science could be so fun? Favorites episodes include:

* Placebo - the part about the "internal drugstore" is insane
* Detective stories
* Zoos - esp. the "live-feeding" zoos part
* Memory and Forgetting


3.) The Sound of Young America, hosted by Jesse Thorn (whom the title of the blog refers to) - I LOVE this show. It's basically just interviews with people in pop-culture who I actually want to hear about. Favorite shows include:

* The recent They Might Be Giants interview for their new album/25th anniversary
* Dave Willis (creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
* Marty Krofft (puppeteer from HR Puff N Stuff and Land of the Lost)
* Zack Galifianakis (comedian and pianist)
* Holiday Special 2004 (with John Waters, Davy Rothbart, Christopher Moore, etc.)
* Episodes featuring Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python)
* Episode with Art Spiegelman