I am the world's eccentric memessenger this week... First the bearistas, and now a phone call from NPR. A brief re-creation:
Unidentified 212 number: Hello, I'm calling from NPR. We are doing a piece on Mr. Softee.
Me: (maniacal laughter)
NPR: We know you hate Mr. Softee. Google told us. Don't you think it marks you as an out-of-towner?
Me: Oh, probably.
NPR: Can we put you on the air tomorrow for All Things Considered provided nothing happens in world news that bumps this total potboiler doily-burgher piece off the lineup?
Me: (to self) I'm gonna come off sounding like an evil streetlife-hating suburbanite. What was it they taught me in all those activist trainings about giving good soundbite? Probably something about don't talk to NPR...(to NPR, giggling) Okay.
So, keep an ear out for me on All Things Considered, the evening show, tomorrow.
UPDATE: It's on! But none of my better quotes really got used. Oh well. Look for it around fiveish (may be earlier if you don't have much local news) on All Things Considered. If you missed it in the Eastern timeslot, you could try streaming it onKCRW at 8ish Pacific.
Posted by Gus at June 14, 2004 05:23 PMHeard it around 4:55 on WHYY. Fluffy, cotton-candy-like goodness with only a faint newsy aftertaste. An especially fun story for me because true New Yorkers' jingly nostalgia beats out even Bloomberg's desire to fight crime. Mr. Softee wins one for all the quality-of-life offenders everywhere! And Gus loses! Ha!
Posted by: Roger at June 15, 2004 5:14 PM
Yeah, I pretty much got used to establish the story. Oh well. Did I mention the reviewer turns out to be a good friend of Jessamyn's? Weird! well except that Jessamyn is friends with EVERYONE.
Posted by: gus at June 15, 2004 5:25 PM
Summary of my grandma's comments on the interview: "I think you're totally in the right, that jingle is atrocious. But you know, you really should speak more slowly."
Posted by: gus at June 16, 2004 12:42 AM
Naw, you spoke just fine. They used you as a word mule, tho'. How does it feel to be held up as one of Bloomie's noise-ban advocates by proxy?
Posted by: Otter at June 16, 2004 12:47 AM
Here's the link to the archived audio story: http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1958858
Posted by: Catherine at June 18, 2004 12:04 AM