My constant companion
March 26, 2008 | Uncategorized
So, you all know I spend three to four hours in the car every day, yes? Of course you do. I whine about it constantly. This post is not going to be further whining, though, it’s about my good friend NPR.
I know I should probably start learning another foreign language or maybe get some books on tape, but I don’t. I just listen to NPR. I know it’s a bad day when the material starts over, because that means I’ve been in the car for more than 2 hours.
I’ve had various un-post worthy, NPR-related thoughts lately, so I’m going to put them all together. My apologies if you are not an NPR listener. (Here, go read this funny instead.)
Firstly, I’ve noticed that all of a sudden they’ve changed the pronunciation of certain countries/cities. How is this done? I wonder if there’s some big news organization that decides, a la the Chicago Manual of Style, how things are pronounced. Pakistan is suddenly POCKistahn. Beijing is suddenly, Bay-Jing, not zzhing. And most annoyingly, Venezuela is suddenly Venez-wella. What’s the deal?
Secondly, should you be a local NPR listener, you may be familiar with the uber-cheesy “Food For Thought” with Dick Stein and Nancy Leson. Each week, these two banter wittily about restaurants or recipes, or something else food related. Well! Guess what! My friend lives next door to Dick Stein, and on Saturday I was over at her house and I got to eat one of Dick Stein’s donuts! He had made some and offered them all neighborly-like to his neighbor. So! I’m hoping that this week, he will talk about making donuts and I’ll be so excited! That’ll be a good commute day.
Thirdly, recently the internets were so devoid of entertainment that I went to npr.org to check out the actual faces of my commute friends. Check them out!
Look! It’s my morning BFFs Renee Montagne and Steve Inskeep:
I thought they both would be older. Her voice sounds like a nice elderly aunt to me, and I definitely thought he would be grey and bearded.
Here are my commute home homies, Robert Siegel, Michelle Norris and Melissa Block:
Robert and Melissa look about how I pictured them. Michelle, though, wow! (yes, they pronoune it Meeshell on the radio, but it doesn’t seem to be spelled that way) She’s PURTY. I think I have a new girl crush.
I cruised through many of the commentators bios as well and didn’t see anyone worth remarking upon, really, except for this:
Who knew Washington Desk Correspondent Ari Shapiro was such a hottie? Campaign finance news just got a lot more interesting.
I am clearly a big fat nerd.
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March 26th, 2008 at 5:22 pm, Adrienne Says:
NPR’s curious pronunciation of Bay-Jing has been confusing me for some time now. I blame Meeshell Noris. Let me just dork out a tiny bit here… I knew she was pretty cause I see her on Meet the Press a lot. Also, do you get Marketplace in Washington? Cause I love Kai Ryssdal. His rendition of Wanted Dead or Alive for a piece on Rockband is one of my all time commuter moments.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pm, tacomachickadee Says:
Yay for nerds!
March 26th, 2008 at 8:35 pm, Rona Says:
Hey, my friend Angie went to high school with Ari Shapiro, and you’ve met her, so you’re like one degree of separation! Woo hoo!
March 26th, 2008 at 10:10 pm, Noreen Says:
I can’t decide if I am more of a voyeur or a nerd. I loved your post because I like nerdy things like NPR, and I like to see the people behind the mic. Now if I could find a way to watch them shop at the grocery store, too…
There are pronunciation keys in the copy for NPR newscasters. I always thought they were funny when I had to read them. Phonics for grown-up journalists. As I recall, they changed news sources since I worked there. It used to be AP or UPI. I am sure it says online who in their style/source now. I wonder if the change in sources changed the pronunciations.
Sometimes I felt like the more a story was getting covered the more the journalists there learn about the local way something is said. Perhaps with people in Beijing in preparation for the Olympics have heard the folks there saying Bay-Jing, and they thought, we’ll say it that way, too. But, I honestly have no idea!
March 26th, 2008 at 10:37 pm, dahli Says:
a little minnesota – mpr – public radio for you:
Michelle Norris is from minneapolis – her high school was my high school’s rival!
Marketplace is produced in good old St. Paul.
xo
March 27th, 2008 at 12:05 pm, jamie Says:
Somehow the Michelle Norris picture doesn’t surprise me too much. I guess I figured someone with a name pronounced Meeshell would be at least sorta hip. That’s quite the coy pose…
I vote you do this for some of the local on-air talent. It was always funny seeing Dick Stein and Nick Morrison smoking outside of Eastvold back at PLU. I worked a pledge drive with Paige Hansen once, she looks nothing like what I expected. Adam Gerhke shows up on TV sometimes for his Metro Traffic job–can anyone say “face for radio”. And did you know that Kevin Kniestedt of KPLU’s Jazz on the Grooveyard also works (worked?) at the Tacoma Mall Nordstrom?
March 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pm, Camille Says:
For me it’s all about the voice and do I want to listen to them for hours on end? And I heart “Meeshell” Norris’ voice, it’s soothing and smart at the same time. Our station down here is PRI/NPR, and now I’m jonsing to post pictures about our local station.
I used to work at KPLU in college, and I hearted “Kat” who hosted Sunday morning Jazz and Nick Morrison. They were so cool. I never got much of a chance to chat with Dick Stein, but he seemed like a cool guy. I love the sound of the cooking show! What time is it on? Maybe I could listen online…
And helloooooooooo Ari Shapiro!
March 30th, 2008 at 9:54 pm, hliv Says:
I heart Kat too! Used to smoke with her and Dick Stein back in the good old days of PLU theater. Nick would be out there sometimes too. Sigh.
March 31st, 2008 at 11:24 am, Jenny Says:
Adrienne: HI! Your comment brought me such joy! I wasn’t sure if anyone was going to feel me on this post, and then you commented and you even knew what I meant about Bay-Jing! You rule.
chickadee: *high five*
Rona: Angie knows Ari? Sweet!
Noreen: Thank you for your informative response! I forgot you worked there.
Dahli: Yay for Minnesota! Such quality folks (and npr programming) come from there.
jamie: You, too, are full of trivia! I would love to do a post like this for our local folks, but sadly, the KPLU website does not have pictures.
camille: Thank youf ro joining my in my Ari Shapiro drool fest.
hliv: Those were the days!
March 31st, 2008 at 2:18 pm, jamie Says:
Not so fast: KPLU offers at least a few pictures:
News People.
Music People.
Bonus! KUOW people.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:34 pm, Jenny Says:
Well how about that! I guess I didn’t look hard enough. Thanks!
I don’t really have any commentary about the local people. Kirsten Kendrick kind of bugs sometimes in the morning, but that’s it really.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:45 am, jamie Says:
So…I heard a “coming up” spot for “Food for Thought” regarding making donuts this morning, but missed it while I was in the shower. Sounds like you might have finally gotten your story…
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 am, Zesty Enterprise » OH MY GOD! Says:
[...] Remember this post about NPR? [...]
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:27 am, Jenny Says:
Dude! I wish you had heard it! They mentioned my blog post!!!
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 am, jamie Says:
Killer…waiting for it to show up online!
May 4th, 2008 at 12:07 pm, dave Says:
Sigh. Renee Montagne is so beautiful.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:45 am, Kevin Says:
All so interesting!
June 19th, 2008 at 12:17 pm, Mary Says:
Hey, great blog and I love this post. I often make snide comments to myself about their sometimes odd pronunciations. I checked out the photos of some of my favorite correspondents ( I actually just like their names) Linda Gradstein, Mara Liasson, Lakshmi Sing & David Welna. Alas no photo of Jim Zarroli.