This week: Comedy duo Tim and Eric get into the Etiquette Zone… New U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera wears many hats, counts many lizard tails… An “UnREAL” new show skewers reality TV… Debut novelist Naomi Jackson links Brooklyn and Barbados…The best form-breaking talk shows, handpicked by comedian Chris Gethard (“The Chris Gethard Show”)… And we browse menus, through the centuries. Plus, the history of the typewriter, Medieval egg throwing, and Neil Young, howling at the moon!
Naomi Jackson - 'Between You & Me'
This week's Eavesdropping guest, Brooklyn author Naomi Jackson, shares a little eye humor.
A Most Eggcellent Contest
Lizzie O'Leary, host of Marketplace Weekend, says that the 700-year-old British "egg throwing" championship is everything it's cracked up to be. Egg trebuchet? Check!
Inventing the Typewriter - and the Hunt and Peck
Christopher Latham Sholes’ “literary piano” led to the 1868 invention of the typewriter - and, along with it, the QWERTY keyboard layout. Learn about some of the quirks of Sholes’ device, and then try to type the alphabet while drinking this cocktail.
Weird, Wonderful Talk Shows, Handpicked by Chris Gethard
For years, actor and comedian Chris Gethard hosted the cult favorite public access TV show, "The Chris Gethard Show." Now his show is on the Fusion network, and he tells us about some of the twisted, hard-to-categorize variety shows that shaped his tastes.
New Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera Sings Out
U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera takes us from the spoken-word poems of his mother's kitchen to the inherent contradiction of being the nation's appointed poet. Plus, he'll share with you the nutrients that poems need to grow.
A Bold Debut Blends Brooklyn and Barbados
Brooklynite Naomi Jackson drew upon her family's roots in Barbados, to write her acclaimed new debut novel. But she says, "The most interesting parts are fiction." Today we overhear an excerpt from "The Star Side of Bird Hill."
Perusing Menus... for 100 Years
USC Associate Professor Josh Kun recently curated an exhibition for The L.A. Public Library on the vast history of the city's menus called, "To Live and Dine in L.A." He gives Rico a peek at the some of the tens of thousands of menus they have in their collection, ranging from the subtle to the absurd.
Tim and Eric Change Your Life Forever
Channeling their new self-help book, comedians Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim ("Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!") teach our listeners how to be better people, and of course, how to "remove their tubes."
Sarah Gertrude Shapiro's 'UnREAL' Look at Reality TV
Writer Sarah Gertrude Shapiro draws inspiration from her previous role as producer for nine seasons of "The Bachelor" to bring in her newest series, "UnREAL." Find out why her own experience on "The Bachelor" was "kind of like a vegan getting hired to work in a slaughterhouse." Plus, Rico and Sarah exchange tips on surefire ways to make a 20-something cry.
Neil Young - 'Wolf Moon'
Neil Young is a singer... well, you've heard of him. He's got a new album out this week called, "The Monsanto Years." Here's a track from it called "Wolf Moon."
Playlist 312
All the music from episode 312.
