Comments on: The Right Words at the Right Time http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:59:48 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: JohnLopresti http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146620 JohnLopresti Sun, 05 Mar 2006 02:39:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146620 In the spirit of Kieran's jet lag, last week in a concomitant consciousness review of its own programming for the preceding week, a National Public Radio magazine announcer was narrating highlights and out-takes from that week's programs, among them, this excerpt from the very overly-produced On The Media, Brooke Gladstone is reading a brief announcement advertising The Prarie Home Companion, naming its guests. On the Media is a dual announcer program; Brooke's co-announcer is the quick-witted Bob Garfield. So, Brooke is reading the plug for the Kiellor program, she says, tune in to a 'Hairy Pr...a Hairy pr..'; Bob's voice is heard to interrupt, pouncing astutely as clearly this is going to be an out-take. Garfield's prods: Go ahead and say it Brooke, say it: "Hairy Prone Companion". Brooke: 'Bob, if you don't shut up I am going to have your microphone turned off.' Fade to blank. In the spirit of Kieran’s jet lag, last week in a concomitant consciousness review of its own programming for the preceding week, a National Public Radio magazine announcer was narrating highlights and out-takes from that week’s programs, among them, this excerpt from the very overly-produced On The Media, Brooke Gladstone is reading a brief announcement advertising The Prarie Home Companion, naming its guests. On the Media is a dual announcer program; Brooke’s co-announcer is the quick-witted Bob Garfield.
So, Brooke is reading the plug for the Kiellor program, she says, tune in to a ‘Hairy Pr…a Hairy pr..’; Bob’s voice is heard to interrupt, pouncing astutely as clearly this is going to be an out-take. Garfield’s prods: Go ahead and say it Brooke, say it: “Hairy Prone Companion”.
Brooke: ‘Bob, if you don’t shut up I am going to have your microphone turned off.’
Fade to blank.

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146520 Matt Fri, 03 Mar 2006 13:12:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146520 I seem to remember a Today programme interview where Jim Naughtie was interviewing a Zimbabwean government minister and used the phrase <i>"two blacks don't make a white"</i> without really thinking about the connotations. I seem to remember a Today programme interview where Jim Naughtie was interviewing a Zimbabwean government minister and used the phrase “two blacks don’t make a white” without really thinking about the connotations.

]]> By: bad Jim http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146509 bad Jim Fri, 03 Mar 2006 10:48:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146509 Wednesday night the local classical station played Vadim Salmanov's Symphony No. 2. It's a program piece, and the second movement is titled "The Call of Nature". The host had a brief bit of fun with that. Wednesday night the local classical station played Vadim Salmanov’s Symphony No. 2. It’s a program piece, and the second movement is titled “The Call of Nature”. The host had a brief bit of fun with that.

]]> By: mollymooly http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146479 mollymooly Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:52:24 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146479 Peter Collins on the RTE sports news: "Steffi Graf beat Gabriella Sabatini in straight sex...um straight sets". They didn't show any of the on-court action though. Peter Collins on the RTE sports news: “Steffi Graf beat Gabriella Sabatini in straight sex…um straight sets”. They didn’t show any of the on-court action though.

]]> By: pdf23ds http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146466 pdf23ds Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:55:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146466 I hate to be pointing out the obvious, but... you *did* mean to be sarcastic with this remark, didn't you? <blockquote>(It would have been better if she’d asked whether this controversy was now all blown over or a wash for the President, or something.)</blockquote> I hate to be pointing out the obvious, but… you did mean to be sarcastic with this remark, didn’t you?

(It would have been better if she’d asked whether this controversy was now all blown over or a wash for the President, or something.)

]]> By: Dave M http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146459 Dave M Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:28:37 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146459 More along the lines of "water under the bridge," I believe the embattled Mr. Brown complained to Brian Williams on NBC the other day that he had been "hung out to dry"- like that was a <i>bad</i> thing. More along the lines of “water under the bridge,” I believe the embattled Mr. Brown complained to Brian Williams on NBC the other day that he had been “hung out to dry”- like that was a bad thing.

]]> By: derek http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146453 derek Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:59:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146453 Any thread about radio bloopers is incomplete without cricket commentator Brian "Johnners" Johnston's famous, <i>"Good Afternoon, as you join us here at Lord's Cricket Ground, the bowler is Holding, the batsman's Willey..."</i> Any thread about radio bloopers is incomplete without cricket commentator Brian “Johnners” Johnston’s famous, “Good Afternoon, as you join us here at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the bowler is Holding, the batsman’s Willey…”

]]> By: Matthew http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146442 Matthew Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:04:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146442 Our former provincial finance minister in British Columbia., Christy Clark, once gave a live press conference to talk about upcoming TAX CUTS the government was planning. She added an N in CUTS, in about the worst place you can imagine. It was so absurd and inappropriate that she and the reporters burst out laughing. No way to just let that one slip by. Our former provincial finance minister in British Columbia., Christy Clark, once gave a live press conference to talk about upcoming TAX CUTS the government was planning. She added an N in CUTS, in about the worst place you can imagine. It was so absurd and inappropriate that she and the reporters burst out laughing. No way to just let that one slip by.

]]> By: David Margolies http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146413 David Margolies Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:07:27 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146413 Surely 'water over the dam' would have been more appropriate. Surely ‘water over the dam’ would have been more appropriate.

]]> By: Tad Brennan http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146403 Tad Brennan Thu, 02 Mar 2006 15:27:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146403 Talking of a very respectable authour, he told us a curious circumstance in his life, which was, that he had married a printer’s devil. REYNOLDS. ‘A printer’s devil, Sir! Why, I thought a printer’s devil was a creature with a black face and in rags.’ JOHNSON. ‘Yes, Sir. But I suppose, he had her face washed, and put clean clothes on her. (Then looking very serious, and very earnest.) And she did not disgrace him; the woman had a bottom of good sense.’ The word bottom thus introduced, was so ludicrous when contrasted with his gravity, that most of us could not forbear tittering and laughing; though I recollect that the Bishop of Killaloe kept his countenance with perfect steadiness, while Miss Hannah More slyly hid her face behind a lady’s back who sat on the same settee with her. His pride could not bear that any expression of his should excite ridicule, when he did not intend it; he therefore resolved to assume and exercise despotick power, glanced sternly around, and called out in a strong tone, ‘Where’s the merriment?’ Then collecting himself, and looking aweful, to make us feel how he could impose restraint, and as it were searching his mind for a still more ludicrous word, he slowly pronounced, ‘I say the WOMAN was FUNDAMENTALLY sensible;’ as if he had said, hear this now, and laugh if you dare. We all sat composed as at a funeral. Boswell, natch. Talking of a very respectable authour, he told us a curious circumstance in his life, which was, that he had married a printer’s devil. REYNOLDS. ‘A printer’s devil, Sir! Why, I thought a printer’s devil was a creature with a black face and in rags.’ JOHNSON. ‘Yes, Sir. But I suppose, he had her face washed, and put clean clothes on her. (Then looking very serious, and very earnest.) And she did not disgrace him; the woman had a bottom of good sense.’ The word bottom thus introduced, was so ludicrous when contrasted with his gravity, that most of us could not forbear tittering and laughing; though I recollect that the Bishop of Killaloe kept his countenance with perfect steadiness, while Miss Hannah More slyly hid her face behind a lady’s back who sat on the same settee with her. His pride could not bear that any expression of his should excite ridicule, when he did not intend it; he therefore resolved to assume and exercise despotick power, glanced sternly around, and called out in a strong tone, ‘Where’s the merriment?’ Then collecting himself, and looking aweful, to make us feel how he could impose restraint, and as it were searching his mind for a still more ludicrous word, he slowly pronounced, ‘I say the WOMAN was FUNDAMENTALLY sensible;’ as if he had said, hear this now, and laugh if you dare. We all sat composed as at a funeral.

Boswell, natch.

]]> By: Espen http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146385 Espen Thu, 02 Mar 2006 14:11:05 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146385 ..not to mention the classic announcement (in the limo rollup to the Oscar ceremony) "Mr. Alfred Hitchcar's Cock!" (as related in David Niven's excellent authobiography "The Moon's a Balloon" ..not to mention the classic announcement (in the limo rollup to the Oscar ceremony) “Mr. Alfred Hitchcar’s Cock!” (as related in David Niven’s excellent authobiography “The Moon’s a Balloon”

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/comment-page-1/#comment-146380 Matt Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:53:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/02/the-right-words-at-the-right-time/#comment-146380 I swear to God that I once heard a live between-programs station ID announcement on NBC refer to the 'National Bullcasting Corporation'. I swear to God that I once heard a live between-programs station ID announcement on NBC refer to the ‘National Bullcasting Corporation’.

]]>