EPISODE NUMBER: 5152 (December 1, 2009)
GUESTS: Brother Guy Consolmagno, Sherman Alexie
SEGMENTS: Obama announces his Afghanistan plan, Better Know a Made-Up District
VIDEOS: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
What a delightful episode! Stephen packed in the silly, but also managed to have some really great interviews as well. I rarely transcribe an entire segment of the show – quite frankly, I just don’t have the time most mornings. But there was no way I was going to let the Made-Up District diatribe fall to the wayside. With pop culture references like the sleestacks and Snuffleupagus, it was just an entire Apopcalypse post unto itself. But to have him interview Brad Pitt? Absolutely delish. Of course, I still can’t think of the movie ‘Fight Club’ without thinking that you can grate Reggiano Parmigiano on that stomach.
While I would have loved to hear more about the actual book being promoted, it was an interesting discussion between Sherman and Stephen about the effect of technology on how people relate to the culture of books. I have yet to own a Kindle, but it’s not something that really appeals to me. I love the experience of being in a book store, and holding the books and reading snippets before purchasing. And I love my “First Edition” ribbon in my copy of ‘I Am America (And So Can You!)’.
However, that being said, you will pry my iPhone out of my cold, dead hand. I’m extremely dependent on my technology for keeping in contact with my family, friends, and last but not least the Zoners and Completists who make this blogging experience so fulfilling. Would I love to have a face-to-face meeting with all of you? Heck yeah I would! But since that is both geographically and economically impossible, technology allows us to meet in ways that could have never happened 20 years ago. While in some ways technology keeps us from having some of the face-to-face contact that we had in the past, it also allows us to build relationships with people who have the specific micro niche interests that we have from all over the country and world.
I know that there are many nuances of Sherman’s position that weren’t quite clear during the interview, and I hope that our resident literary expert, MsInterpreted, will jump on and add to the discussion.
What did you all think of this episode?
- Yeah! Who is the President? Obama is acting like some kind of chief who is commander of the Armed Forces!
- Exactly! Listen to the people who you fire for incompetence!
- What’s that Joe? What? You agree with Barack Obama? You’re fired! Literally. And I’m replacing you with My Little Pony. What’s that Pinkie Pie? You agree with Glenn Beck? Good girl!
- One detail that blew me away? That the site cost $18 million dollars. Now true, you can make a web site for $18 dollars, but this one has so many great things to click and track, you could easily spend the entire day on this site since there’s a good chance you don’t have a job.
- That’s right, the stimulus packages isn’t just creating jobs, it’s creating congressional districts out of thin air.
- I’ve been burned before, Interior Secretary Amanda Huginkiss.
- Which brings me to my first installment of my [mumble] part district – Better Know a Made-Up District.
- Connecticut’s 42nd district is located in the middle of the River Styx, and appears only once every 100 years. The 42nd is populated by a diverse mix of whites, blacks, hispanics, and sleestacks. The district’s largest city is Atlantis, whose controversial mayor Snuffleupagus made headlines recently thaks to a torrid affair with the elusive Chupacabra. The 42nd has a proud tradition of unicorn breeding, celebrated at the annual unicorn rodeo where riders who can stay on a bucking unicorn for 8 seconds live forever. Notable residents of the 42nd include Norm’s wife Vera, Charlie Brown’s teacher, and the smoke monster from ‘Lost’. And who has the secret sack to represent the 42nd? Why it’s Freshman congressman Brad Pitt’s character from ‘Fight Club’!
- You can start gay marrying meat on Friday because it is over!
- If I wanted a God who had complete creative freedom, I would worship James Cameron.
- Maybe they’re trying to find aliens and convert them to Catholicism. Oh, hello! Japanese?
- We could be double-booking our saviors here?
- Who would win – Angel or Predator? I only ask because I’m working on a screenplay.
- It’s a slippery slope from reading to writing.
- You can’t burn a Kindle.
- I just want to say, they prefer to be called Native Americans. I would like to apologize to any of my Native American viewers for that offensive, racist comment. You’re not from India.
I know this is completely shallow to be a favorite moment in an episode just packed with fantastic writing and 2 great interviews… but I just adored watching SC brushing Pinkie Pie’s mane.
I do agree with you that Connecticut’s 42nd BKAD was a thing of beauty.
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I agree wholeheartedly!
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Oh, I’m definitely going to weigh in on the Sherman Alexie interview, but I want to do it in a separate post or this comment is going to be way too long. I should have something posted on it in the relatively near future; I thought it was a great discussion.
Until then, I’d like to echo the love for the hilarious addition to the BKAD lineup. I looked away from the TV for a moment as he was beginning his intro for it and looked back just in time to choke back a snort of laughter when I saw the clip from Brigadoon … ha!
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The “Better Know a Made-Up District” segment was brilliant. A million extra points for including the clip of Brigadoon (“…appears only once every 100 years.”) That was so perfect for the segment.
The Sherman Alexie interview was great, but I also loved Stephen’s discussion with Brother Guy because those were some great questions he asked.
Perfect screencap, DB. I was hoping you would use that!
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Haha! GI Joe & My Little Pony! Anytime he goes to religion for a joke, its funny. I wonder what its like to be a Catholic, make fun of it for a living, then go sit in a pew every Sunday? Sherman kept calling himself an Indian & it was funny how Stephen kept correcting it as Native American. I love my books too, but forget the Kindle. Have you tested the Barnes & Noble Nook. I’d sell a kidney for one of those.
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I don’t purchase digital books. Once I’m done with a book, I like the idea that I can lend it to friends and let them read it, or if I’m in a bind I could put up the box of 100 books or so I have on Ebay/amazon and get some quick cash for them. Digital books can’t be sold by me, so no thanks.
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a great episode. i really loved every part of it and it was hard to vote on one thing but the bkad was amazing.
loved the recap
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I just couldn’t choose…I love it when that happens! Pinkie Pie and GI Joe…Alien Jesus?!…and Sherman Alexie! The whole episode was wonderful.
Both interviews ended with Stephen almost speechless. It was as if he wanted to say more, but knew there just wasn’t time so the guests had the last word. I think that is rare and to have it happen twice in the same episode struck me. [It didn't stike me as good or bad- just a strange coincidence I guess. I like it when I don't know where an interview is going! And I love watching Stephen's mind at work!]
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It is always interesting when Stephen lets a guest have the last word. As you say, quite rare. Does he do it when he agrees with their ideas and/or philosophical position?
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I think we notice it more when its one of those interviews where Stephen really wants to just talk about the subject (refer to charlie rose interview and mention of the human genome project).
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The Better Know a Made-Up District was brilliant! I loved all the references in there. I was still laughing at the Brigadoon one when I saw sleestacks. I think I hurt myself laughing.
I really loved the interview with Sherman Alexie. Being a fan of Alexie’s work and remembering the interview from last year, I was afraid I may have hyped it all too much in my own mind. Alexie did not disappoint! :-) I wish they had talked more about the book itself but I truly enjoyed the discussion they had.
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I loved the Alexie interview! I think Stephen enjoys it most when guests can put “Stephen” in his place. He always talks about wanting to make himself like an idiot while letting who he’s interviewing get their point across, but many times it sort of ends up the other way around. I really think the way Sherman Alexie ended this interview pleased Stephen a great deal.
I agree, the Brigadoon reference was lovely.
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Completely agree with you about the Alexie interview! I enjoy most of the guests that Stephen interviews, but sometimes there’s no give-and-take, which leaves Stephen grasping for something they can respond back to. Or sometimes Stephen will just wipe the floor with them (which I do get a kick out of), if they provoke it. But Alexie just dominated that whole interview, while still giving Stephen places to interject with his character’s opinion. It was one of the best interviews I’ve seen in a while, and I loved how happy Stephen was at the end of it. :)
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Pure Gold. That’s the only way to describe how amazing that BKAD was!! And i don’t know what it is about Stephen with a lighter, but it’s always just so cute and so amusing!
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My favorite moment was when Guy Consolmagno made that comment about the deli not paying him enough to mention which one it was. Because it cracked Stephen up, and Stephen cracking up is always a good thing. :)
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Loved that bit as well. Man, if I could make Stephen laugh, I…I don’t know what I would do! When someone makes you laugh all the time and you make them laugh once, you feel like you’ve won the lottery!
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Could not agree with you more! That is exactly how I felt at the Two River benefit; the fact that I made him smile or laugh because of something I said – it’s just a feeling of absolute bliss :) It’s no comparison to the fact that he makes me laugh repeatedly every single night, but it was a start lol.
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I envy you that you had that chance! It’s one of my dreams now that I can make him laugh even once. :)
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I know how you feel – he makes me laugh so much that I really just want to return the favor one day.
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The whole show was great, and I loved it when Stephen bought out the little pony toy. I always imagine that he brings his kids’ toys to the show for these bits, though I’m sure now that the interns go out to buy them. The interview with Father/Brother -as Stephen kept “erroneously” calling him :)-Guy Consalmagno was great for all the different directions it went in. I agree that both interviews ended delightfully.
and though I was also surprised that Sherman Alexie didn’t actually discuss what his book was about, the subject of internet books and the issues for artists was quite legitimate and fascinating. It’s true that artists in all media may/will suffer for all this digital-for-the-taking that the internet allows; but maybe what we have to do is learn to adapt. Bob Dylan has a satellite radio show and while I can’t remember the exact quote, he once commented off the cuff that we shouldn’t worry too much about some invention that disappears because it will be followed by new things we haven’t seen yet. Or something like that.
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I loved every part of the episode last night, but I have to go with Stephen’s analysis of Obama’s plan for Afganistan announcement. From the upside down chain of command diagram, to him nearly igniting GI Joe, to the My Little Pony, the whole thing was just wonderful.
Both of the interviews last night were fantastic, though. I love whenever Stephen talks about science or religion on the show, so the fact that he talked to an astronomer who just so happens to be from the Vatican was a double treat for me. And the Sherman Alexie interview was just too awesome for me to even talk about, so I’ll save it for the post after this dedicated to the entire thing, haha :)
It’s so great to see Stephen in such a joyous mood after the break!
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