This week’s episode of Wiretap with Jonathan Goldstein on CBC Radio One features conversations with Howard Chackowicz, Dr. Noel Sharkey, Dina Goldstein, Gregor Ehrlich and Caroline (Carolyn?) Warren. Also, meet Johnny 2.0 – a machine that does it all: monologues, interviews, conversations with Jonathan’s mother…everything!
Listen to an MP3 of “The Answering Machine” by clicking here.
The story read by Jane Lewis called “Spirals” from David Eagleman’s Sum: Forty Tales of the Afterlives kind of reminds me of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The premise of the story is that our creators are “dimwitted, obtuse creatures” that, upon greeting us after death, simply ask, “Do you have answer?” Of course, we don’t have the answer (It’s not 42 this time) and we all learn a little bit about the increasingly complex machines that we build in order to understand our own existence.
Jonathan Goldstein 2.0 is also a pretty impressive machine – he successfully gives a positive reference for Howard as he applies for a job as a bank manager. It almost inspires me to make my own, which isn’t unheard of. Johnny 2.0 also seems to be pretty infatuated with mustache sandwiches and makes a jab at the running joke about Johnny 1.0 not having been breast fed.
So, give it a listen. I posted up a summary of “The Answering Machine” which you can check out. But I’m also going to overhaul the episode listings pages here soon. Stay tuned.
Here’s the summary from the CBC Website:
This week on WireTap, Howard launches “Johnny 2.0″, a monolog machine that can stand in for Jonathan when he goes on vacation. Plus a conversation with Dr. Noel Sharkey, professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and “Spirals”, a short story from David Eagleman’s book Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives.
This week’s episode of CBC Wiretap with Jonathan Goldstein entitled 26 Minutes, 30 Seconds was literally laugh out loud funny, much thanks to Rap Master Maurice, who I am very happy to report is an actual person offering actual “revenge raps.” We finally get to see Gregor Ehrlich get one upped by Goldstein (though by revenge rap proxy) and we even find a formidable opponent for HumV Chackowicz. Four stars. (Be sure to listen all the way to the end past the credits.)
This episode, like many other episodes in Season 6, opened with another very thought provoking story from Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman. Usually, I’d be annoyed with so much material from the same book (seriously, do they have some kind of deal going on?) but I really enjoy Eagleman’s work. Eagleman’s prolonged appearances on Wiretap, as well as Jonathan’s mention of a “science show” that discussed blinking indicates that Mr. Goldstein is very much a fan of Radiolab. David Eagleman, a neuroscientist during his dayjob, discusses his book on the Radiolab episode Afterlife and he is a very articulate and interesting gentleman.
Anyway, it appears that Sum in hardback is sold out on Amazon – but the paperback comes out in January 2010. Check out it out below:
Also, we have a bit with Tony Asimakopoulos, who played Tunis in “Time to Face the World.” They discuss the merits of an “I” Shaped couch vs. an “L” shaped couch. Plus, Gregor mocking Jonathan for shaving his head, which he actually did quite some time ago. Actually, a repo man named “The Barber” did it, as shown in “Prose and Cons.”
Enjoy your week!
Howdy – No Man is an Island features Jonathan Goldstein interviewing Patri Friedman (son of famed economist Milton Friedman) about seasteading. Unlike some of the crazies that Jonathan Goldstein interviews, Friedman is, indeed absolutely serious. In fact, I’ve actually heard of this before Wiretap. Unsurprisingly, a lot of business big wigs are very interested in the concept. I think it has something to do with Ayn Rand. Anyway, check out the blurb and listen to the mp3 after reading the summary of No Man is an Island
Howard starts his very own country within the borders of his apartment: the first nation with wall-to-wall carpeting. Plus, Gregor makes Jonathan a personalized mix-tape to help him seduce the ladies, and Patri Friedman discusses his latest project, the Seasteading Institute.
Sorry if this spoils the plot (it won’t) for you but in the end of the bit with Howard Chackowicz where Jonathan Goldstein claims that he “doesn’t beatbox” – well, that’s a damn lie! HumV Chackowicz (that’s Howard’s rapper name, in case you were wondering) makes his debut in the episode “The First Thing That Comes to Mind” way back from Season One. Jonathan Goldstein provides the backbeat for HumV’s freestylin’ in that episode as well. In fact, I think he uses the exact same beat…
Also, the monologue that opens this episode appeared in the National Post way back in May 2009. Here it is in its original form:
Thursday. I’m at a local book store doing a reading. When it’s over, I mill around. “I fall asleep listening to your radio show,” a woman says and, in case the point has been lost on me, she adds: “Your voice puts me to sleep.” People approach, either asking me to sign their books or sharing with me their thoughts. Their ruthless, brutal thoughts. “You have a face for radio,” another woman gleefully tells me. When I try to change the subject, asking her if she has a book she’d like me to sign, she tells me no, that she’s waiting to buy a used copy. When she walks away, an intense-looking mustachioed man takes her place. “Some of what you say on your show is what I would say,” he says. “But then there are other things you say that I would never say. That’s when you’re at your weakest.” “So let me get this straight,” I say. “I’m at my strongest when I’m sounding the most like you?” “Yes,” he says. The main difference between talking to the radio and talking to the person on the radio is that the person has feelings, feelings that will keep him up at night. The person on the radio will stay up worrying about the next time he’ll have to appear in public and be exposed to the casual cruelty of well-meaning strangers.
Thursday. I’m at a local book store doing a reading. When it’s over, I mill around.
“I fall asleep listening to your radio show,” a woman says and, in case the point has been lost on me, she adds: “Your voice puts me to sleep.”
People approach, either asking me to sign their books or sharing with me their thoughts. Their ruthless, brutal thoughts.
“You have a face for radio,” another woman gleefully tells me. When I try to change the subject, asking her if she has a book she’d like me to sign, she tells me no, that she’s waiting to buy a used copy.
When she walks away, an intense-looking mustachioed man takes her place.
“Some of what you say on your show is what I would say,” he says. “But then there are other things you say that I would never say. That’s when you’re at your weakest.”
“So let me get this straight,” I say. “I’m at my strongest when I’m sounding the most like you?”
“Yes,” he says.
The main difference between talking to the radio and talking to the person on the radio is that the person has feelings, feelings that will keep him up at night. The person on the radio will stay up worrying about the next time he’ll have to appear in public and be exposed to the casual cruelty of well-meaning strangers.
Hello – I know I’m a bit late, but luckily this weeks Wiretap episode was a rerun. Entitled “Get With it.” Unsurprisingly, my lazy ass hasn’t summarized this episode from season two. I’ll get around to it soon.For now, it should suffice to say that this is the episode where Jonathan discovers that Howard has been confiding in his mother over the phone once a week, maybe twice a week, sometimes three or four times a week or more. Also, according to the official CBC blurb, this is the very first episode to feature Gregor Ehrlich:
This week on the podcast, we unearth from the Wiretap archives Gregor Ehrlich’s very first appearance on the show, back when he was a radical marketing specialist. Named Earl. Plus, Jonathan discovers an unsettling connection between his mother and Howard.
Earl, eh? It’s like the pilot of Seinfeld when Kramer has a dog and Elaine doesn’t exist. Everything is strange and nebulous…
Listen for yourself at the CBC Wiretap official podcast: “Get With It.”
Anyway, last week’s National Post article featured more Twitter musings between Jonathan and Tony Asimakopoulos(I think I spell that right 25 percent of the time here on this blog).
“I think Ben and Jerry’s should turn Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion into an ice cream flavour,” I say, trying to lighten the mood. “Mind if I Twitter that?” he asks. “Could you imagine our grandfathers twittering?” I ask. “From the age of eight my grandfather worked 19 hours a day milking goats and digging wells. The man considered penicillin a frivolous luxury. He’d never have had time or patience for social networking technology.” “I don’t even think my grandfather knew how to use a fast food drive-through speaker,” I say. “I was once with him when he tried to order at a Wendy’s. He started yelling for boiled eggs in all directions. Didn’t even bother to roll down the car window. Without Twitter, what did they do to let casual acquaintances and strangers know what they were doing 15 times a day?” “Screamed out the window,” he says, “if they were lucky enough to have a window.” “Sure, screaming was good as a ‘mass email’ to friends and neighbours,” I say, “but what about a good and proper status update to the community at large?” “Simple,” Tony says. “They drew a crowd by getting themselves beaten across the back with a horse whip in the town square.” “Which communicated what?” ” ‘Wassup, y’all? I’m getting beaten across the back with a horse whip in the town square.’” Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=2153008#ixzz0VpPIrNLj The New Financial Post Stock Market Challenge starts in October. You could WIN your share of $60,000 in prizing. Register NOW
“I think Ben and Jerry’s should turn Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion into an ice cream flavour,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.
“Mind if I Twitter that?” he asks.
“Could you imagine our grandfathers twittering?” I ask.
“From the age of eight my grandfather worked 19 hours a day milking goats and digging wells. The man considered penicillin a frivolous luxury. He’d never have had time or patience for social networking technology.”
“I don’t even think my grandfather knew how to use a fast food drive-through speaker,” I say. “I was once with him when he tried to order at a Wendy’s. He started yelling for boiled eggs in all directions. Didn’t even bother to roll down the car window. Without Twitter, what did they do to let casual acquaintances and strangers know what they were doing 15 times a day?”
“Screamed out the window,” he says, “if they were lucky enough to have a window.”
“Sure, screaming was good as a ‘mass email’ to friends and neighbours,” I say, “but what about a good and proper status update to the community at large?”
“Simple,” Tony says. “They drew a crowd by getting themselves beaten across the back with a horse whip in the town square.”
“Which communicated what?”
” ‘Wassup, y’all? I’m getting beaten across the back with a horse whip in the town square.’”
In High Art, Low Art, Jonathan Goldstein finds himself relating to Harpo Marx, the silent, clown-like Marx brother who secretly wanted to be more artistic and move away from slapstick laughs. This is brought about after Gregor Ehrlich harasses Jonathan for refusing to do a hardware store opening to promote his radio show. After a bit of arguing, Gregor takes them in the “Wayback Machine” (not to be confused with the Internet Archive) to see what life would be like if they were Harpo and Chico Marx. Afterwards, Josh visits Jonathan to tell him about his new canteen truck business, where he’s selling his homespun versions of Twinkies, CocaCola and Ho Hos. Meanwhile, Howard is on the street wearing one of Nick The Delivery Guy’s chicken costume promoting Josh’s business.
On another note, here’s a video of Popeye murdering Harpo Marx for making his baby cry… odd.
Here’s a fun fact about Harpo Marx: he was als0 a painter. Check out this excerpt from his autobiography, Harpo Speaks! in which he attempts to paint a nude woman:
I rented a studio. I spent $350 on oils, brushes, props, smock, beret, and a couple of acres of canvas. I asked the guy in the artists’ supply store where I could get a model, and he gave me a number to call. A model came to my studio, a well-stacked brunette. I aksed her how much she charged, and she said, “How do you want me–nude?” I said, “Of course.” Ten seconds later she was out of her clothes and in the nude. Remembering how Neysa [McMein] posed her models, this way and that, to catch certain highlights and shadows, I posed my girl this way and that. After each new post I went back to the easel. But I didn’t have the courage to bring brush to canvas. I was scared. For the first time since the night I made my debut on stage on Coney Island, I had stage fright. [...] Finall the girl said, “Do you mind if I have a smoke, Mr. Marx?” On the way to her coat to get a cigarette, she sneaked a glance at my easel and saw that the canvas was a total blank. She said, “Don’t you even know how to draw, Mr. Marx?” “No,” I said,” I don’t. But I want to start. I want to start with you.” “Well,” she said, forgetting about having a smoke, “let me show you a few pointers. I’ll sketch you in. You sit over there.” “How do you want me–nude?” I asked. She said it didn’t matter. I didn’t bother to undress. Cheaper that way. So it came about that the model, undraped, painted the artist, fully draped. The two of us worked together, taking turns posing and painting, for several weeks. She showed me how to mix colors and how to use brushes and how to adjust the lighting. I didn’t show her much in return, but she didn’t seem unsatisfied.
I rented a studio. I spent $350 on oils, brushes, props, smock, beret, and a couple of acres of canvas. I asked the guy in the artists’ supply store where I could get a model, and he gave me a number to call. A model came to my studio, a well-stacked brunette. I aksed her how much she charged, and she said, “How do you want me–nude?”
I said, “Of course.” Ten seconds later she was out of her clothes and in the nude.
Remembering how Neysa [McMein] posed her models, this way and that, to catch certain highlights and shadows, I posed my girl this way and that. After each new post I went back to the easel. But I didn’t have the courage to bring brush to canvas. I was scared. For the first time since the night I made my debut on stage on Coney Island, I had stage fright.
[...]
Finall the girl said, “Do you mind if I have a smoke, Mr. Marx?”
On the way to her coat to get a cigarette, she sneaked a glance at my easel and saw that the canvas was a total blank. She said, “Don’t you even know how to draw, Mr. Marx?”
“No,” I said,” I don’t. But I want to start. I want to start with you.”
“Well,” she said, forgetting about having a smoke, “let me show you a few pointers. I’ll sketch you in. You sit over there.”
“How do you want me–nude?” I asked. She said it didn’t matter. I didn’t bother to undress. Cheaper that way.
So it came about that the model, undraped, painted the artist, fully draped. The two of us worked together, taking turns posing and painting, for several weeks. She showed me how to mix colors and how to use brushes and how to adjust the lighting. I didn’t show her much in return, but she didn’t seem unsatisfied.
Check out HarpoMarx.net for some paintings.
Hello all – be sure to tune in to the podcast to hear “A Better You” featuring a story by David Eagleman and some exercise help for Johnny from Gregor Ehrlich, Howard Chackowicz and Buzz Goldstein. Can you name the artist who wrote the “inspirational music” that Johnny listens to on his iPod without referring to the summary?
Also, for more from David Eagleman, check out the Radiolab episode “Afterlife” and his book: Sum, 40 Tales from the Afterlives:
Hey – which season is Do It Yourself Fun Time from? I don’t have it on my list but apparently I wrote the summary. It’s the episode where Howard becomes a professional party animal. Also, I found a summary of a Fresh New Voice – the episode where Jonathan gets a little EQ on his voice and sings Shaft with Gregor.
Hello – this week we had a best of season five roundup, featuring picks from 100 False Messiahs, Adam and Eve, The Hangover and How to Say Goodbye. Check it out.
Hello. Summary of Splendours of the Small Screen up. You may remember Jordan Morris from How to Build a Bomb Shelter, where he helps Jonathan be a bit funnier on the show. Also, keep an ear out for a Prince parody sample from Indo G.
Goldstein shaved his head, I guess. From the National Post article “Why no one’s laughing at my hair”:
In celebration of spring, I’ve shaved my head. So far the comments I’ve received have ranged from “you look older and more tired” to “I guess you don’t have to worry about bed head now.” After work, I meet up with Gregor for a drink. “What have you done?!” he cries at the sight of me. “You used to have funny hair –hair that a person could laugh at. You might as well kiss your comedy career goodbye.” “First of all,” I say. “I’m not a comedian. I’ma humorist.” “What’s the difference?” “A humorist is a comedian who doesn’t necessarily make you laugh.” “Well, anyone who is even adjacent to the comedy biz, be it rodeo clown or wisecracking waitress, needs to look funny. You, on the other hand, look aerodynamic–like you’re about to be shot out of a cannon.”
In celebration of spring, I’ve shaved my head. So far the comments I’ve received have ranged from “you look older and more tired” to “I guess you don’t have to worry about bed head now.”
After work, I meet up with Gregor for a drink.
“What have you done?!” he cries at the sight of me. “You used to have funny hair –hair that a person could laugh at. You might as well kiss your comedy career goodbye.”
“First of all,” I say. “I’m not a comedian. I’ma humorist.”
“What’s the difference?”
“A humorist is a comedian who doesn’t necessarily make you laugh.”
“Well, anyone who is even adjacent to the comedy biz, be it rodeo clown or wisecracking waitress, needs to look funny. You, on the other hand, look aerodynamic–like you’re about to be shot out of a cannon.”
And from Twitter:
A fellow bald man gave me a nod of acknowledgment on the way to work today. I think a baby did as well but I’m not certain.
Also, Adam and Eve is up on the archive (you can click on it on the feed to the right). Haven’t given it a listen yet – but will make a summary when I’s do’s.
