"Haute couture is like platonic forms."

Filed under:

We're taking it easy after a long week -- we did our first two hour show yesterday -- stay tuned for more slightly ridiculous BPP double-cheeseburgers next week.

Here's what we talked about this morning:

-- A Des Moines minister married two men in Iowa's first legal same-sex marriage.

-- Virginia Sen. John W. Warner may not seek a sixth term. He'll announce later today. Warner said, "The Senate requires you to go full-bore, six or seven days a week ...tremendous energy, go to Iraq, jump in and out of helicopters, get on the cargo planes, no sleep. And that's different things we've got to do all around, and I've got to assess, at this age, whether it is fair to Virginia to ask for a contract for another six years."

-- The Pentagon says that weapons given to Iraqi security forces by American soldiers have been showing up in Turkey. Many were used in violent crimes.

-- Make sure your "No Call" lists are up to date. In Wisconsin, you have until September 1st to sign up for the fall edition. If you miss that deadline, you have to wait until January to add your name.

-- The Turcotte family sued Augusten Burroughs for $2 million in damages for defamation, invasion of privacy and emotional distress. They didn't get a penny, but Burroughs agreed to characterize Running With Scissors as a book, not a memoir.

-- A Houston police officer handed out "Watchu dun did now," an eight page "guide to Ebonics, teaching the reader to speak 'as if you just came out of the hood.' It included definitions such as 'foty: a 40-ounce bottle of beer'; 'aks: to ask a question'; and 'hoodrat: scummy girl.'"

-- Giant spider web in a North Texas park spreads across several acres and has MILLIONS of spiders crawling on it.

-- What do you guys make of Fashion Week? It's happening right under our noses but we're mixed about its interestingness. We'll definitely have Tim Gunn on the show next week, and possibly a smooth-talking leggy model type, too.
Matt asked: What, exactly, is haute couture?
Win answered: Haute couture is like platonic forms.

-- Last night Luke, Dan and Win met up with the Cash Cab. They won $1,000 bucks. Because of their uncompromising journalistic integrity, they gave it all back. Hear the interview and watch the video next week. Enjoy the holiday.

Lauren Spohrer

11:27 AM ET | 08-31-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Mark Olson Performs on The BPP

Filed under: Music, Video

Before embarking on his critically-acclaimed solo career, singer Mark Olson was a founding member of The Jayhawks. Since splitting with them in 1995, he has maintained a reputation as one of the most respected singer/songwriters on the folk country scene. Mark joined us in the studio today to talk about being the subject of a new documentary, dealing with lame bar crowds at shows, and his recent album, Salvation Blues. Here's a performance of "National Express" from that record.

Win Rosenfeld

5:17 PM ET | 08-30-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

One Small Additional Hour for Man, One Giant Bag of Awesome for Mankind!

Filed under:

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

 

We ain't sayin' you're a golddigger. But you are reading this blog. And today, for the first time ever, we're bringing you two whole hours of brand new BPP audio content. News and information? Check. Live music? Check. Random hilarity? Of course. Human interest? No doubt. Child sex predators? Always. Quality radio? That's for you to judge.

-- In The Big Story today we cover two big reports: The GAO report on benchmarks in Iraq, and the report on the VA Tech shootings.

-- As always we'll do The Ramble, and we'll do The Most. My submission for The Most is this piece about fried clams, while MJ brings a piece about a Chinese girl who runs 40 miles a day and Matt goes all Britney on our butts. We'll also talk to NPR's Joe Palca, whose piece about perfect pitch is number four in the Most Emailed rankings on NPR.org. Listen to Joe's piece and forward it everywhere, until he takes over the top ranking from that NPR story on Burmese quilters' struggle for soft drink equality. Go Joe!

-- Musician Mark Olson, formerly of the Jayhawks, will be in the studio to perform live and talk about his new album and a new documentary that follows him on tour after his divorce from Victoria Williams.

-- Mo Rocca will join us to talk about a contest on his web site which encourages people to rewrite the immortal and unintelligible statements of Miss Teen South Carolina. BPP staffers took their own cracks at an actual audio remix as well.

-- We'll cover sports with Alison's husband Bill, some tiny presidential debates you didn't know existed, and several obituaries in the news.

-- Plus we'll talk about the growing controversy surrounding Dateline NBC's "To Catch A Predator," and the phenomenon in Miami known as "Castro Fridays." Basically, random street parties seem to break out there every Friday, when unfounded rumors of Castro's death start spreading. We'll find out how much champagne is on ice for the real deal.

Dan Pashman

1:40 PM ET | 08-30-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

A Two Hour Show!

Filed under:

Okay, everyone. It's a big day for us: Our first two hour show. As I type, a guest is falling out. Mark Olson and his band are doing a sound check in the studio, there are some logistical concerns and I'm really craving a meatloaf sandwich. We'll have the show posted later today, around 2:30 ET. Check back to hear and see what happens.

Matt Martinez

4:34 PM ET | 08-29-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

The Trials of Larry Craig, the Anniversary of Katrina, the Next Frontier, and a Dog That's Richer Than You

Filed under:

Credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Republican Senator Larry Craig insists he's not keeping any secrets.

-- Larry, Larry, Larry. Where to begin? We'll break down the news of Republican Senator Larry Craig's illicit behavior in a Minneapolis airport bathroom, and we'll talk to Mike Rogers from BlogActive, a site that outs politicians that it claims are gay. We're not sure we agree with Mike's mission, but it certainly makes for a lively discussion. And for extensive coverage of the Larry Craig scandal, check out the Idaho Statesman's page. (Of course, Craig says the Statesman is conducting a "witch hunt," but we'll let you decide for yourself.)

-- Today is the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We'll talk with a longtime resident of the city who stayed there throughout the storm and its aftermath, New Orleans Times-Picayune art critic and reporter Doug McCash.

-- Luke has to get something out of his system, in a little segment we call "Private Time with Luke."

Credit: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Virgin Galactic employees sit in a prototype of a spacecraft to be used for space tourism. Virgin will charge $200,000 for four minutes in zero gravity.

-- Virgin Galactic, the Richard Branson enterprise that aims to be the first space tourism outfit, had some bad news recently. An accident at a testing facility killed three workers. We wanted to learn more about what happened, and what's happening with space tourism in general. If you aren't as curious, just check out these videos. You'll come around.

-- There's a movement afoot among some American parents and doctors to skip diapers altogether and go straight to potty training. We'll ask a pediatrician: What up with this?

-- The Ramble: Leona Helmsley's will leaves $12 million for her dog, an apparently impossiple brat of a pup named Trouble. After Helmsley died I tried very hard to give her the benefit of the doubt. So much for that...A French suburb has been spraying homeless people with a foul-smelling spray in order to get them to go away. French people spraying homelss people to make them smell bad? Isn't this a stereotype of a stereotype?

All that and more on today's show. Check it out.

Dan Pashman

12:31 PM ET | 08-29-2007 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

Show In Progress

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We're getting ready for another show. Check back at about 2:30 ET. In the meantime, here is a video that will freak you out. Producer Lauren's obsession over bed bugs has gotten me all kerfuffled, which has led me to searching out such things:

Matt Martinez

10:20 AM ET | 08-29-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

The Happy Ending: Tuesday

Filed under:

A daily feature in which we point out our favorite NPR stories:

- Chicago Abandons Wi-Fi Project
- The Semiotics of Sexual Behavior
- Are Campus Safety Concerns Overblown?

Lauren Spohrer

5:27 PM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Fredo Quits, Surfers Protest, Trapped in the Closet and Fun with Maps

Filed under:

In today's show we take a quick trip around the nation's editorial pages to check responses to the resignation of Alberto Gonzales. Then we talk with Jim VandeHei - Executive Editor of The Politico. Later in the show we ask Paul Mirengoff of Powerline why conservatives haven't been too sorry to see Gonzales go. Mirgenoff: "Gonzales's only real offense seems to have been mediocrity."

-- We hear the amazing story of Hawaiian surfer/activists managing to stop a Superferry from docking in the Kahului Harbor. Surfers and swimmers spent about four hours in the water to block the giant ship. Surfer Mehana Vaughan tells us what it was like to to be in the water and environmental attorney Isaac Hall gives us a courtroom update.

-- The 2008 Farmer's Almanac predicts a winter of miserable cold in the east and mild temperatures in the west. We ask editor Peter Geiger about the Almanac's secret weather predicting formula based on sunspots, the position of the planets and the tidal action of the moon.

-- Rolling Stone Senior Editor Melissa Maerz is our delightful guide through "New Music Tuesday." We hear from The New Pornographers, Caribou and R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet 13-22 DVD.* Plus a love offering to Lyle Lovett.

-- Luke and Alison get their Ramble on with George Hotz, the 17-year-old who hacked his iPhone so it would work outside of the AT&T network. Hotz traded his hacked phone for a new Nissan 350Z and three new iPhones. A British man left his prosthetic hand gripped to his motorcycle handlebar and it was stolen. He's ordered a new hand, but says: "I still need my old hand back. It was better quality and will last a lot longer." NASA will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Wars by sending the original Star Wars Lightsaber to the International Space Station. Chewbacca himself will transfer the lightsaber to the space agency. I feel cool.

* After the jump, essential R. Kelly scholarship.

Continue reading "Fredo Quits, Surfers Protest, Trapped in the Closet and Fun with Maps" »

Lauren Spohrer

1:39 PM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Why Superbad is Supergood Even If You Are Over 18

Filed under: Stuff We Love

Research firm Media By Numbers estimated Summer movie grosses in the United States and Canada hit $4 billion for the first time in history. This is all thanks in part to the teen comedy "Superbad" ($68 Million in 10 days!) which was only the third movie this summer to repeat being number 1. The other two are the three-quel blockbusters "Spider-Man 3" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."

Why the big cash flow for a teen comedy about three geeks who are trying to buy booze to get the girls they like drunk so the girls will like them ... and then LIKE them -- so they won't go to college, well, UNLIKED? Because adult gents and ladies like me, born before Nixon resigned, are going to see it.

Why would adults like this movie?

You are old enough to find the raw sexual humor hilarious not humiliating.

You can actually remember when the super funk baseline score and rainbow-rific
graphics were popular in an unironic way.

You tried to get a fake I.D. and it looked just as bad as McLovin's.

The writing doesn't confuse snarky for smart.

You are old enough to recognize the latent gay love the main characters have for one another.

Any other reviews out there?

Alison Stewart

10:41 AM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Show #15 On the Way

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Check back for ...
-- A Gonzales departure discussion with folks from Politico.com and Powerline blog
--Surfers stop the SuperFerry in Hawaii.
--New music from the New Pornographers.
--And The Ramble including NASA'S plans to send Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber into space.Dunno if it is news but it's a good excuse to resurrect a classic.

Alison Stewart

10:33 AM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

The Happy Ending: Monday

Filed under:

A daily feature in which we point out our favorite NPR stories:

- Remaking a Punk Classic from Memory
- Problems Surface at 'Net Phone Service Skype
- 'Lust in Translation' Explores World of Infidelity"
- Transcendental Meditation Appears in the Classroom
- Microsoft Banks on 'Halo 3' to Boost XBOX Sales

Lauren Spohrer

5:05 PM ET | 08-27-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

"I feel like there's a connection there."

Filed under:

What's better than looking cool and having cool clothes to wear?

How about cool poetry? MTV has named John Ashbery its Poet Laureate. "Excerpts of his poems will appear in 18 short promotional spots -- like commercials for verse -- on the channel and its Web site."

Stephen K. Friedman, the general manager of mtvU (subsidiary for college campuses) to the NYT:

I don't think there's such a big leap from the artists we're playing to the poetry that John is creating," Mr. Friedman said. "Some of the music we play, Bright Eyes and the Decemberists, they're phenomenal poets. I feel like there's a connection there.

Ashbery is great, of course, but unless Kurt Loder is reading the poems -- and it's 1994 -- this concept makes me want to barf. At the very least, MTV could have picked someone younger than eighty. How about a flarfist?

Lauren Spohrer

2:41 PM ET | 08-27-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

No Need to Thank Us. It's Our Job.

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We're going to try a leaner and meaner approach for the Morning Meeting post. Of course, since this is NPR, it probably won't actually be meaner. It's just a figure of speech, really. We'd also like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone offended by this blog's use of the word "leaner" in the context of improvements we're making. It was not meant to suggest that making the blog "plumper" would be anything other than an improvement of a different kind. But since brevity is the soul of wit, let's get this party started...

-- Alberto Gonzales is resigning. Check out Alison's post on the timing of the announcement.

-- While You Were Out, Possibly Drinking: A 17-year-old hacked his iPhone so it would work on other cell phone carriers besides AT&T. That's all well and good, but unless he can hack an iPhone so it gets rid of waterbugs, I'm still not interested.

-- The government is redesigning $100 bills. The image on the new bill will actually appear to move when you move the bill, just like in Harry Potter. But is counterfeiting really such a big problem these days? Apparently, yes.

-- The most emailed article from the New York Times says that median home prices are expected to drop for the first time since the stat was first compiled in 1950. Translation: If you want to buy a place, it'll be cheaper (good). If you want to sell a place, you'll get less for it (bad). If you're like a lot of us and can't afford a place, you probably still won't be able to afford a place.

-- Celeb news: Owen Wilson was hospitalized last night. There are unsubstantiated rumors that it was an attempted suicide. Also, Hulk Hogan's son Nick Hogan was injured in a car accident. The AP reports he's been released from the hospital, but the other passenger in the car was injured more seriously.

Dan Pashman

10:34 AM ET | 08-27-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Anticipated 'Above the Fold' Gonzales Headlines:

Filed under:

GONE-Zales
Gone-zo
Going, Going, Gone-zales
Gone-zales With the Wind
Not-So-Speedy Gonzales

Headlines that may be pushed below the fold:

-- Katrina: Progress and Pain on the Road to Recovery
-- Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Finds Many Still in FEMA Trailers
-- Hurricane Katrina Just Won't Go Away.

Let's not forget those folks in the Crescent City.

Alison Stewart

10:15 AM ET | 08-27-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

The Happy Ending

Filed under:

- Artie Lange, in 'League' With the Forces of Comedy
- A feast of frenzy from Animal Collective
- John Doe: The X Man Goes Back to Roots

Lauren Spohrer

4:23 PM ET | 08-24-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Little League Mustache, Pot Balls and Science

Filed under:

-- 1.3 million Monster.com users had their personal information stolen this week. We wanted to know what use 1.3 million resumes could possibly be to anyone and called Computer World reporter Gregg Keizer. He has a great FAQ on the subject here.

-- We begin the "Week in Iraq" segment with the death of Mohammed Ali al-Hassani -- the second provincial governor to be assassinated in 10 days. Virginia Republican Senator John Warner called for a troop withdrawal, and the National Intelligence Estimate was released yesterday. We wrap up the week with Daily Show writer/producer Kevin Bleyer. The Daily Show often pretends to be in Iraq, but they've actually been reporting from Iraq recently. Bleyer is back in New York and came by the studios this morning.

-- How much weight should you gain when you're pregnant? This fall, the Institute of Medicine will review and consider changes to the medical guidelines for how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy. The panel hasn't made any changes since 1990. We talk with Dr. Tracy Gaudet, Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Duke University. Then, we got recently pregnant Christina Geist on the phone and asked how much she was told to eat, and whether she listened to the advice.

-- Scientists have given mice Obsessive Complusive Disorder and, despite the fact we don't know what mice are thinking, say they are learning how to treat it in humans. In our meeting this morning Luke pointed out that a better-living-through-mice story hits the newsstand everyday. Do any of these breakthroughs ever pan out and help people? We ask NPR Science Correspondent Joe Palca.

-- In "The Ramble": Nicole Richie was in prison for 82 minutes yesterday. In case you've forgotten, she was driving the wrong way on the 134 Freeway in Burbank after using marijuana and Vicodin. A 52-year-old UCLA professor is arguing that students and teachers can make romance. He says that the "right to romance" is covered by the 9th Amendment of the Constitution. An NYPD detective lost his job this week because he failed a drug test. The cop says he had no idea his wife served him marijuana meatballs.

-- FoxSports.com columnist Peter Schrager takes us through the hallmarks of little league baseball and gives us his take on the ongoing Little League World Series.

-- We talk with NPR Movie Critic Bob Mondello about Resurrecting the Champ, The Hottest State, and The Nanny Diaries. And we get "The Most" when producers MJ Davis, Dan Pashman and I bring you the the most emailed stories on the web. Plus, we read from your blog comments!

Lauren Spohrer

12:39 PM ET | 08-24-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Three in a row! A new show coming your way 2:30EST

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Monster.com gets hacked, Week in Iraq and The Most are featured on the BPP today. Speaking of the most, this is one of the most viewed clips at Break.com. A man accused of beating his 79-year old mother is confronted by a reporter...and let's just say....he likes radio news, hopefully not NPR.

What I Think of TV News - Watch more free videos

Alison Stewart

10:29 AM ET | 08-24-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

The Happy Ending

Filed under:

There's more on our new feature, The Happy Ending, here .

- Grace Paley, Writer and Activist, Dies at Age 84
- New Book, Film Explore Sacco and Vanzetti Case
- Plan B, One Year Later
- Hitchens Says Oakland Is Soft on Crime
- Pesky and Not Picky, Bedbugs Make a Comeback

Lauren Spohrer

4:13 PM ET | 08-23-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Nobody Puts the BPP in a Corner

Filed under:

Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

The Red Army invaded Czechslovakia 39 years ago this week. We'll talk to someone who grew up there and fled with her family soon after the invasion, to find out what it was like.

-- Our lead is President Bush's speech yesterday at a VFW in Kansas City, Missouri. Bush compared Iraq to Vietnam for the first time. With just three weeks until General Petraeus submits his status report on the operations in Iraq, we called Retired Army Colonel Jack Jacobs. Colonel Jacobs earned three Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, Purple Hearts and The Medal of Honor for his heroic acts in Vietnam.

-- We'll discuss office tyrants with the Wall Street Journal's Jared Sandberg. You know the person in your office who makes you jump through crazy hoops just to get a new stapler? That's an office tyrant. Post your best (or worst) office tyrant story to the blog!

-- In the Ramble: Roger Stone says he couldn't have left a threatening voicemail for New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's elderly father Monday night because he was at a performance of the Broadway play Frost/Nixon. But a New York magazine blogger pointed out that the play had no Monday night performances... The studio behind the 1987 film Dirty Dancing is suing several clothing companies who've coopted the line, "Nobody puts baby in a corner."...Oh, but somebody put Foxy Brown in a corner. Last year she was sentenced to three years of probation for assaulting two manicurists in a nail salon. But last month she violated probation when she battered a woman with her Blackberry and now the pregnant Brown is in jail...As of last weekend, spam has an older brother -- "bacn." Bacn is email that you want -- MySpace alerts, online billing statements -- but rarely read. We called Andy Quayle of IT Pittsburgh -- he was part of the bacn braintrust -- to find out why nothing in Web 2.0 has all its vowels.

Continue reading "Nobody Puts the BPP in a Corner" »

Lauren Spohrer

1:14 PM ET | 08-23-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Building Another Show For You, Check Back @ 2:30 EST

Filed under: Inside The BPP

On today's Bryant Park Project we will look at the comparisons between Vietnam and Iraq. Yes, the President went there after years of avoiding any connection between the two conflicts. Read his speech and then listen later for analysis from Medal of Honor winner, Vietnam Vet Col. Jack Jacobs. Also on the BPP, copyright concerns over a classic movie line from "Dirty Dancing" -- something about Baby and the corner? Let's just hope the "suers" don't go after all those couples who recreate that magic dance scene at their weddings:

Alison Stewart

8:53 AM ET | 08-23-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

New Feature: The Happy Ending

Filed under:

I was listening to David Lynch on NPR's Talk of the Nation last week while writing our post for Pilot #10. Neal Conan did a great job, Lynch was ridiculous and awesome, as always. We love NPR, and not just because they pay us the big public radio dollars.

In case you can't bear to don't have the opportunity to listen all day long, we'll point out our favorites:

- Acid Attacks on Women in India Prompt Protests
- Study Finds Many Older Americans Sexually Active
- Blogger Picks Classic Novels, Modern Short Stories
- Size Matters: The Hidden Mathematics of Life

Lauren Spohrer

5:22 PM ET | 08-22-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Josh Ritter Performs on the BPP

Filed under: Music, Video

Idaho-born musician Josh Ritter joined us in the studio this morning, guitar in hand. In the past, he's been compared to Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Josh says he hasn't stopped growing -- musically, that is. He describes his newest album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, as his "most adventurous yet." "To The Dogs or Whoever" is one of the songs on that disc. He played it for us (and you) right here at BPP HQ. Enjoy.

Win Rosenfeld

3:17 PM ET | 08-22-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Gangs, Gays and a Charming Mellow Guy with a Guitar

Filed under:

Credit: Elmer Martinez/AFP/Getty Images

A member of the MS-13 gang shows off his tattoos in a Honduran prison.

Do you like alliteration? How about rhetorical questions? We've got both, plus the newscast, on today's Bryant Park Project.

-- The media are freaking out about MS-13. We talked to gang expert Celeste Fremon of Witness-L.A. for background on MS-13 and what involvement may mean for immigrant teenagers. Is it "The Most Dangerous Gang in America?" Fremon says, "Oh, please."

-- Twenty-two Americans died in the aftermath of two big storm systems that beat down the Upper Midwest and Plains. Hurricane Dean is moving into Mexico for the second time. Thirteen people died in the Caribbean as the result of Dean. Officials in China are still trying to reach the 181 men trapped in a flooded coal mine. Luke and Alison check in with Mother Nature.

-- Oh, poo. A rich middle aged couple was charged with animal cruelty after 113 cats were rescued from their New Jersey home. Officials found up to six inches of cat dung in the 20 room mansion. In our quest to be everything NPR is and more, we booked not one, but two experts to crack this developing story. We called James LaGrossa, chief of law enforcement for the Bergen County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and forensic psychiatrist Steven Pitt. Quiz: Do you know whether an insanity plea can be used in an animal cruelty case?

-- Piggy? Ralph? We ask Television Without Pity's Sara Bunting if CBS hit reality gold when they dumped 40 kids between the ages of 8 and 15 in the middle of nowhere New Mexico for a month and let them start their own town. Some parents and their labor attorneys cry foul.

-- What is "Gay," Alex? If Merv Griffin was gay, how come it wasn't mentioned in any obituaries? It was mentioned on the website of the Hollywood Reporter, then taken down, then put back up. What's the deal? We ask Merv Griffin biographer David Bender -- and he takes us to task.

-- Alt-country singer songwriter Josh Ritter brought his guitar with him to the studios of the BPP this morning. He talks with us about growing up in Doug Martsch country and plays two songs, "To the Dogs or Whoever" and "The Temptation of Adam."

-- Plus an arm-wrestling arcade game in Japan -- called "Arm Spirit", vegetarian friendly ballparks in America, and much more!

Lauren Spohrer

2:15 PM ET | 08-22-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

New Show in the Works. Check Back This Afternoon!

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We are working on a show today, which includes an explainer on the MS-13 gang, PETA's most veggie friendly ballparks and a live performance from Josh Ritter whose new album dropped yesterday. Until then, here's a live clip of Mr. Ritter singing about his home state, Idaho.

Alison Stewart

10:24 AM ET | 08-22-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

A Naked Dwarf Walked Into A Bar...He Said "Ouch."

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

It's a rainy day in Bryant Park and as we all know, the New York subways are not designed to operate when it's raining, so Matt had to overcome some delays to make it here. We did manage to meet, and it went a little something like this...

Continue reading "A Naked Dwarf Walked Into A Bar...He Said "Ouch."" »

Dan Pashman

10:17 AM ET | 08-21-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Cheer Up. There's No Need for Painkillers When You've Got the BPP.

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

Credit: Keith Bedford/Getty Images

Real estate mogul Leona Helmsley, pictured here in 2003, has died at 87.

BPP HQ is a little sparse today, with Luke on his way back from LA, Alison covering a cool story in North Dakota, and Lauren "LoSpo" Spohrer in DC. After our first attempt at shows on back-to-back days last Thursday and Friday, we're going to collect ourselves today, and prepare to raise the stakes yet again this week. That's right, we're going for a trifecta of shows this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But not today. If there were a show today, it would look something like this...

Continue reading "Cheer Up. There's No Need for Painkillers When You've Got the BPP." »

Dan Pashman

10:10 AM ET | 08-20-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Show Pilot #11: Mine Rescuers Killed, The Week In Iraq, Huckabee Plays Pong

Filed under:

We lead today's show with a tragic turn of events at the Crandall Canyon mine in Huntington, Utah. In an effort to find the six trapped miners, three rescue workers were killed last night and six others injured when some sort of seismic activity caused another collapse. We talk with Jeff Godell, author of Big Coal (and contributing editor to Rolling Stone) about what constitutes "seismic activity" and how this tragedy changes the rules for the mining industry.

-- In "The Week in Iraq" we discuss the four coordinated truck bomb attacks that killed more than 250 people in two remote villages in Northern Iraq. The US military thinks the attack is the work of Sunni Muslims, who've been warring with locals who practice an ancient Middle Eastern religion known as Yazidi. The Yazidi believe that the earth is watched over by seven holy beings, the most important of which is known as The Peacock Angel.

-- And, as you probably already know, we've got an interview with former Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Huckabee surprised us with his graphic description of a clown regurgitating into a paper sack. They don't call him the funny candidate for nothing. In case you missed it, here's the Luke Burbank vs. Mike Huckabee Ping Pong Challenge video.

-- We talk with fashion model/President Bush niece, Lauren Bush, about her World Food Programme Feedbag project. Alison posted about the bag earlier in the week, we received a surprising number of critical comments from you guys and we wanted to open it up for discussion.

- In The Ramble, Luke and Alison discuss the $10 million drug bust in Glendale, California -- where the marijuana farmers watered their crops with city tanks, draining half of a 10,000 gallon emergency water supply. The French have implemented a "fast moving carpet" in Paris. It's a moving sidewalk that goes faster than a city bus. We have some fun with the WikiScanner. And we try to wrap our brains around Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. The mayor wants to install single occupancy bathrooms on the beaches to discourage what he describes as "homosexual activity." Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel City Hall Reporter Brittany Wallman reports that Mayor Naugle prefers the term "homosexual" to "gay" because he doesn't believe gay people are happy.

Lauren Spohrer

1:56 PM ET | 08-17-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Huckabee Deals with a New Kind of Media Spin

Filed under: Election 2008, Video

Former Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee shed some of his his underdog status when he came in second place in Saturday's Iowa Straw Poll. Many Republican voters are giving him a second look, and he's taking advantage of his new found celebrity on the talk show circuit. He swung by NPR New York yesterday for an interview. In all honesty, he wasn't here to do an interview with us. But, Luke and Alison asked nicely if he had an extra few minutes to talk -- you can hear that interview when our show pilot #11 is posted later today.

In our interview, Huckabee stressed how much of a real candidate he was -- how he was not as handled or as much of a "stuffed shirt" as other candidates. Luke asked the governor to prove it, and challenged him to a game of ping pong at the BPP's makeshift ping pong table. Behold that remarkable display of raw athleticism right here (and come back later to hear the interview that sparked it all):

Win Rosenfeld

11:39 AM ET | 08-17-2007 | permalink | comments (9) | e-mail post

Public Radio Star Sighting: Ira Glass After Hours

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Credit: Getty Images

Ira Glass: Video billboard aficionado.

The other evening I pulled up to a stoplight in downtown New York City around 9:20pm, about a block from my home. As I focused on the man walking his dog in front of my car, I realized -- that's Ira Glass!

I've only met Ira once, but we went to the same college and he is kind of legendary. I've always admired him. So what did I do? Honk? Yell? No, I just watched him.

He stopped across the street and became fascinated with a video billboard perched right above the entrance to the subway. He stood there for a good long time watching a glossy, produced commercial for a new CBS drama called "Cane". It's about a family that runs a sugar/rum empire. He just stared at it. He was still staring at it when the light changed and I had to get a move on or be subjected to some serious angry New York honking.

So, if you hear any references on This American Life to video billboards, Jimmy Smits as a Cuban kingpin or things that happen while you walk your dog ... you'll know why.

Alison Stewart

7:33 AM ET | 08-17-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

The Bryant Park Project: Getting Our Facts From Wikipedia Since 2007

Filed under:

Credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton's righthand woman, Huma Abedin (left), is magic.

We had a great time with today's show and are eager to hear what you think.

- NPR's Adam Davidson tells us about his conversation with Mattel CEO Bob Eckert and why Adam won't shop at the dollar store anymore.

- Luke interviews Danish pop duo Junior Senior. Jeppe Laursen (Senior) and Jesper Mortensen (Junior) tell Luke about their rap skills, growing up with Sonic Youth and their picks for The Best Song in the World Today.

- As part of their defense against Viacom, YouTube asked Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert to testify. We called Duke Law Professor James Boyle to see if YouTube's legal team is planning an effective defense or a publicity stunt.

- We've got John Discepolo, morning sports reporter for CBS-TV in New York, with the latest on NBA referee Tim Donaghy and the future of dirty, dirty dog Michael Vick. Discepolo points out that more than half of the players in the NFL have a criminal record.

- We've got the Village Voice's Michael Musto and NPR's Katia Dunn talking about Senator Clinton's elusive travelling Chief of Staff, Huma Abedin. She's as mysterious and beautiful as a unicorn.

- Tay Zonday and his now-classic "Chocolate Rain" are taking the show on the road.

- Finally, my favorite part of the show: "My gut feeling, and it's nothing more than that...is that there's a 20 percent chance we're living in a computer simulation." That's right guys. We live in a matrix with Neo and Trinity and Baudrillard. According to the guts of Nick Bostrom, director of Oxford University's Future of Humanity Institute, your thoughts and memories could be someone else's Second Life world.

P.S. David Lynch is on Talk of the Nation right now! He just said: "I do not see United States, I see divided states."

I love you Agent Dale Cooper!

Lauren Spohrer

2:29 PM ET | 08-16-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Breaking News: Jenna Bush Engaged to Her Dance Partner...

Filed under:

Congratulations to the 26 year old first daughter on her engagement to Henry Hager.

Hager is the son of John Hager, assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and former Virginia lieutenant governor.

Here's the White House Press Release

THE WHITE HOUSE
OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
For Immediate Release August 16, 2007
STATEMENT BY PRESS SECRETARY SALLY MCDONOUGH
President and Mrs. George W. Bush are happy to announce the engagement of their daughter, Jenna Bush, to Mr. Henry Hager, son of the Honorable and Mrs. John H. Hager of Richmond, Virginia. Miss Bush and Mr. Hager became engaged Wednesday, August 15, 2007.

No wedding date has been set.

Alison Stewart

2:27 PM ET | 08-16-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

A Play by Play of the Rumble in the Jungle from a Real Zoologist

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If you think your office is a jungle or you live in a rough neighborhood, consider what it is like to hang around the Kruger National Park in South Africa

More than 500 bird species and 147 mammals, including some 2,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 1,800 rhinos, 8,000 elephants, and 15,000 buffaloes live on just over 7000 square miles of land.

Two of those species do not get along. It's a rivalry captured on tape by some two legged creatures on safari. Watch the whole thing -- it's worth it. After you watch, read the Bryant Park Project Q&A with wildlife experts Dr. Jeffrey P. Bonner, President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo who gave us a play by play of the rumble in the jungle.

Continue reading "A Play by Play of the Rumble in the Jungle from a Real Zoologist" »

Alison Stewart

9:31 AM ET | 08-16-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Cooking up a show...

Filed under: Inside The BPP

...We will post it later today. In the meantime, check back for a video treat in just a bit.

Alison Stewart

9:18 AM ET | 08-16-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

To iPhone or Not To iPhone. I Wasn't Sure...Until This Morning

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Alison's phone: Destroyed by the Upper East Side.

It has been 24 hours since my phone flipped out of my hand and crash landed on the corner of 93rd St. and Lexington Avenue. I'm doing pretty well considering my wireless world has been rocked. When I have mentioned to people my cell phone rests in pieces, a few have said enthusiastically, "Now you can get an iPhone!"

So I thought about it overnight before canceling my insurance claim. They look really cool. Maybe it was a sign from the igods to go ahead and be an early adopter for once in my life.

And then I saw this article first thing this morning in USA Today "How Many Trees did your iPhone Bill Kill". The article describes these huge bills early iPhoners are now getting. The bills are not only huge in terms of the amount owed to the phone company but also in terms of how many pages long they are -- 30, 40 or 50 pages in some instances.

One comely blogger posted this clip about her iBill experience. (Thanks USA Today for pointing this out!)

Alison Stewart

12:45 PM ET | 08-15-2007 | permalink | comments (29) | e-mail post

Easy Philanthropy: If You Aren't Mr./Ms. Moneybags, Buy a Feedbag

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So yesterday I ran through a list of super philanthropists who throw down millions and millions for good causes.

No need to feel inadequate just because you can't donate the gross domestic product of Denmark. Here's a way to do good and feel good.

Strap on a feedbag. Literally. It's a canvas/burlap shoulder bag for sale exclusively through Amazon. It was thought up by United Nations World Food Program spokesperson Lauren Bush. (She's also the president's niece.)

I saw this in Domino Magazine yesterday and thought it was cool.

It costs $59.95. If that seems like a lot consider this: One bag will pay for feeding one child in school for an entire year, which costs 19 cents a day, or $34 a year.

Alison Stewart

12:30 PM ET | 08-15-2007 | permalink | comments (16) | e-mail post

Duct Tape, Party Kids, iRage at iPhone iBill

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

We were quick and dirty this morning, mostly planning for shows on Thursday and Friday. We made time to discuss Kasey G. Kazee, a 24 year old in Kentucky who wrapped his face and head in duct tape and robbed a liquor store. Look at him.

"Look at me. Do I look like a duct-tape bandit baby? I'm not no duct-tape bandit. You hear me? Live one-on-one Ashland, Kentucky, you know this is not me. Do the math, do the homework, man."

The highlights, plus the newscast, after the jump.

Continue reading "Duct Tape, Party Kids, iRage at iPhone iBill" »

Lauren Spohrer

11:59 AM ET | 08-15-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Six Questions for Rob Bluey

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Yesterday we talked to liberal blogger Bill Scher about Karl Rove's resignation, so today we want to get a different take on the issue. We sent six questions to conservative blogger Rob Bluey from BlueyBlog, and he sent back six answers. Why six? That's just how many questions we thought of.

Continue reading "Six Questions for Rob Bluey" »

Dan Pashman

4:48 PM ET | 08-14-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

'Money is like manure. It should be spread around.'

Filed under:

Credit: H. William Tetlow/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, seen here in 1965, was made possible largely through the generosity of Brooke Astor.

Brooke Astor. Her name even sounds rich. And she was. She donated nearly $200 million over a 38-year period, and it was that generosity, more than her social status among New York's elite, that earned her international headlines when she died recently at 105.

She liked to quote playwright Thorton Wilder, who wrote, "Money is like manure. It should be spread around." Her real estate mogul husband left her in charge of a new $60 million foundation "for the alleviation of human suffering" and told her, "You'll have fun, Pookie." And she did.

Continue reading "'Money is like manure. It should be spread around.'" »

Alison Stewart

3:38 PM ET | 08-14-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Something Cool on a Hot Day...A Little Dino

Filed under: Music, Video

Tuesday is traditionally the day for new music to hit the streets, and today you can find the sweet strumming and storytelling of artist Lori McKenna on her new release "Unglamorous." Also back and proving he should stick to rapping and not dancing with the stars is Master P, who drops "Featuring...Master P" today. (The "P" is for Percy, by the way.)

Of course, if old school is more your speed, you can just chill out with some Dean Martin. You may prefer your Dean Martin straight up, but for those who like mixers, a new release called "Forever Cool" features modern artists singing "duets" with Dino. I really like this clip of Shelby Lynne crooning along with Mr. Martin on "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You."

If this kind of back-from-the-dead recording creeps you out, there's plenty of classic Dean Martin to go around. Check out this book, which I got as a gift, and learn more about this very complex man. Or put aside all politically correct tendencies and click on the clip above, for a little refresher on the original American Idol.

Alison Stewart

1:28 PM ET | 08-14-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

R.I.P. Brian Crush and Why is Cal Ripken a Diplomat?

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken speaks during an event yesterday where it was announced that he'll serve as a goodwill ambassador for the State Department. Ripken is expected to spread goodwill for 2,632 days in a row, without taking a day off.

No show today. We're planning shows for Thursday and Friday. We're also thinking about how to make this blog an even better place to visit, and we'd love your ideas. Keep an eye out for Luke and Alison's posts later today. Alison's interested in Brooke Astor and whether we have our own philanthropist/socialites these days. Luke's got something to say about unfortunate hurricane names (Flossie? Kiko? Norbert Odile?). We've also got a special Dean Martin tribute.

You'll find out what we talked about this morning after the jump. (Can you guess which blog czar makes an estimated $52 million a year?) Oh, we would have made a great show today, had we made a show today.

Continue reading "R.I.P. Brian Crush and Why is Cal Ripken a Diplomat?" »

Lauren Spohrer

11:28 AM ET | 08-14-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Karl Rove Resigns, Merv Griffin Dies and Rick Ankiel is Reborn

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Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

All his bags are packed, he's ready to go...

In today's show we'll cover Karl Rove's resignation from every angle: The Straight Up News Headline angle, the NPR White House Correspondent angle, the Who Will Be The Subject Of Liberal Bloggers' Homemade Video Screeds Now angle, and of course, the Resigning To Spend More Time With Your Family Excuse Retrospective angle. And that's just a fraction of the ground we'll cover...

Continue reading "Karl Rove Resigns, Merv Griffin Dies and Rick Ankiel is Reborn" »

Dan Pashman

5:30 PM ET | 08-13-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Best Song in the World Today: Junior Senior

Filed under: The Best Song In The World Today

BPP WARNING to those about to click on this link:

The song you are about to hear will get stuck in your head like peanut butter in a shag rug.

The next time your boss is lurking over your cubicle talking about TPS Reports, or your priest is telling you how many Hail Marys you owe for all that late night Cinemax you've watched, you'll be staring blankly at them with 'can I get get get to know know know know you betta betta baybee' repeatedly running through your dome.

Think you can handle that? Okay then, may we present "Can I Get Get" the first single off of Junior Senior's new record (which comes out Tuesday August 14th). For those who don't know, Junior Senior is The Leading dance-pop gay/straight musical act to come out of Denmark in the last 20 years (okay they're probably the only dance-pop gay/straight musical act out of Denmark.. still). Also, check out the cameos by JD Samson of Le Tigre, as well as all of the shots taken in my old stomps The Los Angeles.

www.juniorsenior.com

Luke Burbank

3:33 PM ET | 08-13-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Bye, Bye Turd Blossom, While You Were Out, The Most

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. These are some of the stories you will hear today.

Hi, I'm Lauren Spohrer and it's a beautiful day in Bryant Park. We've had plenty of coffee and are working hard on today's show. The big news today, obviously, is the resignation of the president's deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove. We're coming at the story with a few questions you haven't heard anywhere else. After the jump, a quick recap of our morning meeting and what you can expect from the show later today.

(Editor's Note: Lauren is a brilliant, talented producer who is helping us out until she starts her master's program at Columbia. That's right, a master's from Columbia. We hope you enjoy the benefits of Lauren's enormous brain. --Matt Martinez)

Continue reading "Bye, Bye Turd Blossom, While You Were Out, The Most" »

Lauren Spohrer

10:29 AM ET | 08-13-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

In the Mean Time...

Filed under: News

We've got a one-hour show coming later this afternoon, but in the mean time, here's one from the vault to keep you sated. Grab a box of tissues, it's a real tearjerker. As you may have heard, you won't have old Karl Rove to kick around anymore.

Dan Pashman

8:39 AM ET | 08-13-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

'Hello Brooklyn. We're the Hold Steady.'

Filed under: Video

The introduction was a little tongue-in-cheek, of course, since The Hold Steady has called Brooklyn home since before its inception four years ago. So it was a special night for the band, playing a jam-packed free show in Brooklyn's Prospect Park that drew everyone from hardcore devotees to folks from the neighborhood who just wanted to check it out. The BPP caught up with frontman Craig Finn and lead guitarist Tad Kubler in their dressing room and since we were already there, we figured we might as well stick around for the show. (Call it one of the perks of the job.) Needless to say, it rocked. But don't take our word for it. Watch the video.

Dan Pashman

3:03 PM ET | 08-10-2007 | permalink | comments (17) | e-mail post

One Man's Monkey, America's Infrastructure, the World's Economy and Your Baby Daddy

Filed under:

Another day, another pilot, friends. But we're not even done for the week, as we'll have the video of our interview with The Hold Steady up shortly. We caught up with them backstage last night before they played a packed free show in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. Here's a brief rundown of what you'll find in today's pilot...

Continue reading "One Man's Monkey, America's Infrastructure, the World's Economy and Your Baby Daddy" »

Dan Pashman

1:02 PM ET | 08-10-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Please Standby

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We just wrapped up the recording of our latest pilot and we're transferring it to World Wide Web Headquarters. Check back soon!

Dan Pashman

12:49 PM ET | 08-10-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

There's a Time for Love and a Time for Living...

Filed under: Video

If you can finish that song lyric, then you're ready to play our brand new (and one-off) game show, The Big 'Name That Television Theme Song' Contest with Luke and Alison.

We had one of the editors of Television Without Pity, Sarah Bunting, on the show to talk about the summer TV lineup and why she thinks Kyra Sedgwick's accent on The Closer is super annoying and why Mission: Man Band is awesome and sad at the same time.

We figured since we had Sarah in the studio we would test her knowledge with a "name that TV theme song" contest. As you can see in the clip, there is a reason she's an editor at TWoP.

Matt Martinez

5:03 PM ET | 08- 9-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Not Phoning It In

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

Credit: Win Rosenfeld/NPR

Luke and Alison took part in today's meeting via speakerphone.

We rolled out another show yesterday, but we're not spending too much time congratulating ourselves, as we prepare to do it all again tomorrow. (At some point, we may actually do this five days a week!) That means it'll be a short post today, especially because Luke, Win and I have to head out to Brooklyn, where we'll be interviewing The Hold Steady before their free show in Prospect Park tonight. That interview will be part of tomorrow's show, and we'll post the video of it tomorrow as well. In the mean time, here's today's morning meeting. Luke and Alison both joined in by phone (as pictured above). Also, stay tuned for our TV show theme song game, which we filmed yesterday with Luke, Alison and Sarah Bunting from Television Without Pity. It'll be on the blog this afternoon.

Continue reading "Not Phoning It In" »

Dan Pashman

9:56 AM ET | 08- 9-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

News Cutbacks, Spare Squares, Art Heist!, Puke Flashlights and Television Without Pity

Filed under:

Credit: Robert Dale/Getty Images

We haven't actually met former FBI agent Tom McShane in person, but after talking to him on the phone today, we're pretty sure he looks something like this.

The BPP took a major step forward in the piloting process today, when we started EXACTLY ON TIME for the first time. We weren't even one second late, folks. Call us the Orient Express of radio shows that don't exist yet. Anyway, here's what we've got on tap today...

- We'll bring you the latest on the effort to rescue trapped miners in Utah, where a debate is raging over whether an earthquake caused the mine collapse or the mine collapse was the earthquake.

- Michael Kinsley will talk about the increasing pressures on the newspaper industry, pressures that have gotten so great that they actually shrank the New York Times.

- A paper company has invented a new automated toilet paper dispenser. The market research that went into this product is riveting. Plus we've got a new feature called "Private Time with Luke," which features a clip from a video that we order you to watch immediately.

- The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics start one year from today, and although the Chinese insist they're ready (check out their video), many people say they've got problems.

- Newsweek's cover story, entitled "Global Warming Is A Hoax*," looks at the powers behind the "global warming denial machine," which has convinced many Americans that there is doubt in the scientific community about global warming, even though there is little. We ask the article's author, Sharon Begley, where a journalist's responsibility lies in the discussion.

- McShaaaane!! You don't know former FBI Agent Tom McShane, but after you hear him talk about the black market world of art theft and the people who bring art thieves to justice, you're not likely to forget him. He's part Sam Spade and part Mr. Furley.

- Ramble: Company makes Michael Vick chew toys for dogs, Homeland Security invents light sabers, and flight delays reach an all-time high.

- If you don't read Television Without Pity, you're seriously missing out. We welcomed Sarah Bunting, one of the site's creators, to the studio, and we talked about all things summer TV. It was a great time, and we look forward to having Sarah back. After the show ended, Luke and Alison challenged Sarah to a game of "TV Show Theme Song Name That Tune," which we recorded on video. We'll be posting that, along with some extra puzzlers for you, tomorrow.

Check it out!

Matt Martinez

5:36 PM ET | 08- 8-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

It's On Its Way...

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Okay -- we're working as fast as we can to get the latest show to you. We are uploading it to iTunes as I type, and we'll have it on the blog soonish. It was a good show, on the menu: Toilet paper, stolen art, the pollution in Beijing, why the global warming debate isn't a debate and a review of some summer TV with Television Without Pity's Sarah Bunting.

Matt Martinez

4:53 PM ET | 08- 8-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Show Coming Your Way...

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Hey everyone -- we are jamming on doing a new show today, but we're doing it a bit later than usual -- around 3p ET.

No 'Morning Meeting" -- but check the podcast later today for the latest show.

Matt Martinez

12:33 PM ET | 08- 8-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

The Best Song In The World Today!

Filed under: The Best Song In The World Today

So we've been sitting on this one for a while, because we were hoping to get the rights to post it. We waited so long, though, that it's up on YouTube, so we figured it was fair game. The song is Kanye West's new single "Can't Tell Me Nothing". The video features the ridiculously funny Zach Galafianakis and the ridiculously musical Will Oldham hanging around on a farm somewhere Waiting Till They Get They Money (makes sense when you see the clip).

The amazing part is how oddly affecting this little movie is. It starts out seeming like a lark, but the cinematography is so delicate, and the backdrops so pretty that it kind of feels like a rural lament.

Thanks to hot tipper Cotter who sent this along literally 2 weeks ago.

Luke Burbank

2:00 PM ET | 08- 7-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

The Miners in Utah, Olympic Countdown, Big Mac With Extra Paste

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

We're gearing up for two shows this week, one tomorrow and another on Friday. Producer MJ Davis is working the phones, booking guests to talk about music, skate boarding falls and automatic toilet paper dispensers. Dan is working on scripts as I type, making sure everything is formatted and pretty so the hosts don't go all Naomi Campbell on us. And Win is cursing at his video system. (If you want to know what it's like putting one of these bad boys together, take a look at Win's behind-the-scenes video.)

In between bouts of laughter over the "Trunk Monkey," we are actually thinking about the news...

NEWSCAST: The Brits ask for the release of five British residents held at Guantanamo, rescuers in Utah still trying to reach six trapped miners, FBI eases rules on job applicants with a history of drug use, President Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai wrap up talks at Camp David, a study reports that preschoolers say food in McDonald's wrappers tastes better (keep in mind they also eat paste by the crate), the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says Internet vote swapping is legal, foot and mouth scare continues in Britain, and a flight attendant is arraigned on charges that she was drunk on a plane. She allegedly told the pilot "You're dead" as she was pulled off the plane.

Continue reading "The Miners in Utah, Olympic Countdown, Big Mac With Extra Paste" »

Matt Martinez

10:19 AM ET | 08- 7-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Lollapalooza: A Review Is In

Filed under:

Credit: Jeff Gentner/Getty Images

Fans enjoy Lollapalooza 2007 in Chicago's Grant Park.

On Friday we previewed Lollapalooza, today we'll recap it. My friend Mike lives in Chicago, site of this year's festival, and was committed enough to the event that he took Friday off to go and Monday off to recover. I emailed Mike and asked him how it was, and his response was detailed enough that we'll just post it here, essentially unedited, to replicate for you the glorious experience of getting an email from Mike. (You can also check out his pictures from the festival, and video clips he shot of Pearl Jam singing "Elderly Woman" and "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World.") Mike really likes Pearl Jam, but he's less a fan of capitalization...

Continue reading "Lollapalooza: A Review Is In" »

Dan Pashman

4:19 PM ET | 08- 6-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Behind the Scenes of the BPP: Our Seedy Underbelly

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Video

Here's your chance to take a peek into what makes The Bryant Park Project tick. Join Matt, Luke and Alison in the real life misadventures behind the scenes of NPR's newest morning news program. In this 12-minute documentary you'll get a unique look into the stories of ... well, some of our stories. After you watch, go back and give that show another listen -- it's guaranteed to blow your mind on a whole new level.

Win Rosenfeld

3:53 PM ET | 08- 6-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Five Reasons I Dig Matt Damon

Filed under: Stuff We Love

Let me be completely honest here: There's no reason for this post other than the fact I was blown away by The Bourne Ultimatum and Matt Damon.

1. He is cool enough to get married at city hall to a non-starlet with a seven year old kid.

2. His mother is a super smart educator who wrote an excellent book on helping children understand war/violence. I had to read it for a class.

3. He had the brains to get into Harvard and the ba***s to quit.

4.The Bourne Ultimatum is the most taught, thrilling, and exciting film this summer.

5. He showed up for this:

Alison Stewart

2:33 PM ET | 08- 6-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Sketchy Monday: An Art Heist in France, a Gambling Scam in Tennis and a New Way to Ration Toilet Paper

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

This Monet masterpiece was stolen from a museum in France in broad daylight.

With Luke back from Chicago the BPP is in full effect, and we're ready to crank things up this week. Today alone we'll bring you an awesome "behind-the-scenes of the BPP" video by our own Win Rosenfeld and a recap of Lollapalooza from my friend Mike, who was there all weekend. In some countries this quantity and quality of content would cost you a fortune. In others, it would be illegal. Here, we call it Monday.

The Morning Meeting went a little something like this...

Continue reading "Sketchy Monday: An Art Heist in France, a Gambling Scam in Tennis and a New Way to Ration Toilet Paper" »

Dan Pashman

10:39 AM ET | 08- 6-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Lollapalooza to Rock Chitown

Filed under:

Credit: Mark Segal/Getty Images

Insert Pearl Jam here: Lollapalooza kicks off today in Chicago's Grant Park, on Lake Michigan.

The first place Cubs take a back seat in Chicago this weekend, as Lollapalooza comes to town. The festivities kicked off just a few hours ago, and Alison spoke to Esquire music critic and radio host Andy Langer, who called us from the concert site to break down the weekend's lineup and tell us which bands are likely to make a big splash. The festival will be the site of Pearl Jam's only major concert this year.

Dan Pashman

1:45 PM ET | 08- 3-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

The Week in Iraq

Filed under:

Credit: Wissam Al-Okaili/AFP/Getty Images

An elderly Iraqi man holds his worry beads during prayers today.

Every Friday on the Bryant Park Project we bring you The Week in Iraq, an overview of the military and political news in the US and Iraq from the previous seven days. Today Alison talks with Tom Ricks, military correspondent for the Washington Post and author of the new book, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq. They discuss the new Chair of the Joint Chiefs, the latest on British involvement, the Sunni withdrawal from the Parliament, and the contention by two analysts from the Brookings Institution that things are getting better. Take a listen.

Dan Pashman

12:53 PM ET | 08- 3-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

The Bridge Collapse, Russia Claims the Arctic, Jason Bourne Gives An Ultimatum

Filed under:

"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

Hey everyone -- Matt here. We're working on a couple of things for later today -- not quite a whole show, just pieces that we're experimenting with: The Week in Iraq and a music segment on the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago with our good friend, DJ Andy Langer. He's going to join us on the phone live from Grant Park, the festival site.

In the meantime...a quick morning meeting...

NEWSCAST: In Minnesota, rescuers continue the search for missing people in the rubble of the collapsed bridge. Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins was convicted of murder in the death of an Iraqi civilian in Hamandiya. The House voted yesterday to allow prescription drug imports from places like Canada, Australia and Europe. The Washington Post is reporting that a U.S. intelligence court struck down a key element of the president's warrantless spying program earlier this year.

Continue reading "The Bridge Collapse, Russia Claims the Arctic, Jason Bourne Gives An Ultimatum" »

Matt Martinez

9:42 AM ET | 08- 3-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse (and the Rest of the News)

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"Morning Meeting" is a recap of our daily editorial meeting. If we had a show today, these are some of the stories you would probably hear.

Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

There was no post-pilot hangover for the BPP today, as everyone but Luke, who's still in Chicago for "Wait Wait," rolled in ready to get back to work. Here's what we discussed...

NEWSCAST: Minneapolis bridge collapses (also to be broken out in show), Rumsfeld tesitifes on Tillman, Rove won't testify on attorney firings, House passes kids' healthcare bill, Fisher-Price to recall nearly a million toys, R. Kelly trial date set, and Cubs move into first place for first time this season.

Continue reading "The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse (and the Rest of the News)" »

Dan Pashman

10:21 AM ET | 08- 2-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Today's Show: Murdoch, Gonzales, a Sex Study and a New Way to Fly

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

As Alison and Luke discuss in today's Ramble, a California company wants to start making De Loreans again. No word on whether the cars will come fully loaded with flux capacitors, like the one above.

We're getting to the point where we've done so many pilots, we can't keep track of what number this is. (It's number six, so I guess I lied--we can keep track. But it's getting harder.) When you go through the process of creating a show from scratch, your first goal is to make sure that each show is a little bit better than the one before. (Actually that's the goal all the time, but it's an especially big goal when you're starting out.) According to the makeshift chart in our office, if each show continues to be a little better than the last, the BPP will officially become the greatest radio show in history sometime in early 2014, surpassing the current holder of the top spot.

On today's show we break down Rupert Murdoch's company's purchase of Dow Jones, the furor surrounding Alberto Gonzales, and that helicopter coverage of police car chases that local news stations are so in love with. Plus NPR's own Adam Davidson explains how an FCC decision yesterday could determine the future of cellphones for all of us, and the BPP's own Matt Martinez tells us why the passing of Tom Snyder matters, in a little something we call Make Me Care.

A federal judge ruled that legal brothels in Nevada can now advertise, so we asked a top New York ad firm to come up with a campaign. You'll hear their ad pitches. Suffice it to say, you won't hear our buddy Carl Kasell voicing these spots anytime soon. And Virgin America, a new domestic airline from the people who brought you Virgin Atlantic, is set to take off next week, with a fleet of brand new planes with a variety of supercool amenities. We'll talk to someone who's been on one of the planes. For a video tour of Virgin America's fleet, check this out:

Take a listen to the show and, as always, let us know what you think!

Dan Pashman

1:31 PM ET | 08- 1-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Typing, reading, researching....

Filed under: Inside The BPP

...that's what we are doing this morning.
The Bryant Park Project show #6 is in the works.
Check back later to listen.

Alison Stewart

10:01 AM ET | 08- 1-2007 | permalink | e-mail post