BS: PHC a bit flat lately?

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 04 Feb 04 - 07:32 AM

My wife and I consistently enjoy PHC. We've only been listening to it for the past coupla years, so we don't have a basis for comparison with earlier efforts.

Of course I should mention that we only listen to it while driving. We rarely turn on the radio at home. In our area for the time slots in which PHC appears there is literally nothing else to listen to.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 09:48 AM

Thanks, W.E.!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: MAG
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 02:10 AM

I usually check it out to see who the guests are. I quite enjoyed Irma thomas this weekend. Her duet with GK wasn't up to the other stuff, but he can't resist singing with his big guests.

The skit ?last week about Guy Noir going after an old couple who were smuggling pharmaceuticals in from Canada was pretty funny. His usual off the mark comments about UUs were there, but, as our board prez says, all publicity is good as long as they get the name right.

We get a ton of athiests with children everytime he makes that quip.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 06:21 PM

Wys,

That is cool what you are doing. Do you also get a program called American Routes? I think you would like it immensly. You can get it from 9-11 Sat. Night on Whyy. WWW.Whyy.Org. Repeated 6-8 on Sunday. Give a listen.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 05:07 PM

Since I moved into this house a couple of years ago and have been doing lots of remodeling stuff, I listen to the radio as I work, mostly on weekends. In particular, when I started working in the empty house, with the carpets torn out and no ceiling in the kitchen, that glimmer of the radio dial and familiar voices was very nice, and I rediscovered how much I enjoyed PHC. I don't listen every week, and I can't always hear all of it. But there are usually some very funny bits. I was sorry when Jessie Ventura left as governor of Minnesota, because Keillor really mined that one good. He got some mileage out of Ahnold's election, and they do some "Mr. President" stuff that will leave you in stitches. I don't always enjoy all of his music selections, this week I wasn't as pleased with it as other times.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 11:39 AM

Lucky you, Ron! That sounds like a fantastic evening. I love hie monologues on Lake Woebegone and I don't feel jaded. I think, though, when I try to pin it down, I am tired of some of his co-talent, esp. the woman he has on. I don't like her characters and I don't like her singing/voice. The other thing I can identify which has turned me off is it seems the humour has become more *lowbrow* for want of a better word.

I still believe in his genuis and his delivery, but the show isn't his best, right now, imo.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 11:13 AM

All I know is, mining works both ways if you put in minimal effort. I'm finding and enjoying (and taping) a LOT of gospel and black gospel material in there (which as most of you know is in my specialty area of study). The databases there make it possible to easily find, hear, and document stuff I have not been able to find (free) anywhere else.

I'm posting the finds in MY area of study as I go, and I would welcome others doing the same. Why? Because-- say someone comes here looking for a song (or artist). We or they Supersearch it and POOF-- up comes the title, posted in a PHC or archived concert songlist. (I just did that with the Fairfield Four's appearance). I put the post in an existing thread about that artist wherever possible. I put the artist name in the subject of the post so it stands out from the search results.   

If we do not already have a lyric or a MIDI, we or they can go to the song and hear the whole thing, not just a short Amazon clip. Some of it is bound to get transcribed to lyric posts.

We can be the song preservationists today-- the "field" recordings just aren;t always out in the sticks, now we have technology and some people (like pHC) are showcasing the treasures. We can take these off archived radio programs, if we take our area of greatest interest and mine away.

The trick seems to be, do we mine just to listen for ourselves, or do we leave a few breadcrumbs so others can find them too? And if we do leave crumbs-- let's make them as easy to spot as possible with the search tools we have here at the feast.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: John Hardly
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 10:30 AM

I think they are aware of the dive in "listenership".   I really think that, to some extent, that is the reason it has become a political show. It is a calculated effort to become relvant to what they thought was their target audience during the Reagan years -- a left that felt marginalized numerically. PHC was a kinder, gentler, NPR type of entertainment.

But it was moderate. And it was gentle. It's neither anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 09:27 PM

In the late 80's he gave up on the show, then a year later had a "reunion" show, then he started a new radio series with a different name, and then eventually turned it back into A Prairie Home Companion. During this period, I tuned in a few times and felt that he had also slipped considerably in the product he delivered. However, there were a lot of things that I should have considered.

Many members of the cast that he surrounded himself with during the "glory" years moved on and new voices came in. Producers, writers and talent change. It takes a while to jell.

I began listening again last year and was very pleased with what I heard. The jokes were fresh, sometimes with a bit of a topical edge that was missing in the early years. The new talent was shining and Keillor's monologues were and continue to be brillant.

This past summer I went to see PHC's "Rhubarb Tour" at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ.    This was a non-broacast tour. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Great Auditorium, it is a magnificent structure built around 1900. There is NO air conditioning other than the sea breeze, and on the night I was there, the breeze was on vacation. It had to be 100 degrees in the auditorium, and very humid with the audience packed in.   Keillor performed for nearly 3 hours and gave one of the funniest and most moving "News From Lake Wobegone" that I ever heard. He left the stage and walked among the audience as he told his story - and he motioned for the spotlight to be turned off. For over 20 minutes he had about 3000 people sitting silent and hanging on every word. The oppressive heat was forgotten. The man gave one of the most brilliant performances I ever witnessed, and I repeat - this was NOT for broadcast.   He could have walked through a shortened version of the show and I don't think anyone would have noticed, but instead he gave more than anyone expected.

So for those of you who say he has slipped in recent years, maybe it is time for you to tune off the radio because as Dave suggested, perhaps your ears need a vacation. The show is not the same show that it was 20 years ago, but that is a good thing. You can't miss the old lightbulb or you will miss the shine of the new one. All creative people need to have the room to grow. Not everybody will understand or "get it", but for those of us who do, we are grateful that such a show continues to produce such quality every week.

Ron Olesko

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 09:24 PM

I must say that overall, the music on PHC has been pretty darn good. Leon Redbone, Leo Kottke, and about a half million others....

Maybe I'm just growing old. I hope I'm not growing jaded.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 09:13 PM

Well, I guess I am going to present the minority report.

I believe the show is as good as ever. There are better shows and poorer shows during the season, but that was true in the past too.

I really think that if long-time listeners don't find it as cutting any more, it's not the show, it's the jaded listeners' perceptions.

This weekend's show, in my opinion, stands up to the best PHC has ever broadcast. I was blown away, at least by the humor. The music, I will admit, did not particularly reach me this weekend, but that's been the case in the past on occasion, and will in the future, I'm sure.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 08:41 PM

Well, if he does he can send a BIG wad of cash to Max to underwrite the 'Cat. I ain't putting BS into Keillor's hands free for nothing! And he can damn sure give credit where it's due! He wants to make money offen it, he can share the money with the Mudcat.

I have spoken. Je dit. Yo hablo. etc.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 07:10 PM

We never listen anymore. I tried last week because they had Leon Redbone on, but we turned it off. It's just not as good as it has been. Mind, we enjoyed it a good few times last year, so I'm thinking it might just be this year is off more than recently. Still, I don't think it's near as good as it was in the 70's and 80's.

I keep thinking Keillor is going to get smart and come to the Mudcat to "mine" for material, then I think I am glad he doesn't, 'cause Mudcat wouldn't get the credit. I mean for things like his Guy Noir(sp) stories. Good gawd, any of our story threads beats his recent stuff hands down, imo.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Mudlark
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 05:58 PM

I still remember some of the dialogues from the 70's and 80's but I too think the show is well past its sell-by date.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 04:16 PM

Quite. I rarely listen anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Teresa
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 03:20 PM

I loved it in the late 70s/early 80s, but now it's just too polished (or something) for me. ...
Teresa

Subject: RE: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 03:07 PM

lately? when hasn't it been?

Subject: BS: PHC a bit flat lately?
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 02:33 PM

This is nonsense I suppose, but does anyone else but me think that Prairie Home COmpanion has been a little 'flat' lately? Just asking. Maybe the show has a case of the winter blahs or something, but the writing has not been as sharp IMHO.