This week: Author/blogger Christian Lander (Stuff White People Like) breaks habit and talks about other races… A town goes nuts after a boll weevil blight… And Brendan looks into the future of food, but can’t see the stealth miso. Plus, a joke from Los Lobos and a tune from Toro y Moi.
Icebreaker: Los Lobos
David Hidalgo, vocalist and founding member of Grammy-nominated roots-rock stalwarts Los Lobos, bugs out about visiting the doctor. (SoCal Listeners can catch the band this Sunday at the L.A. House of Blues.)
Small Talk: Underwear Codes, Dogs in De-stress, & A Computer in Jeopardy
The staff from Marketplace dig up some some lesser-known headlines… like the Swiss Bank that gave its employees a 44 page dress code that mandates underwear color.
Radio listeners heard LA Times columnist and KPCC-FM talk show host Patt Morrison tell us why the California prison system thinks Festivus isn’t kosher.
A History Lesson With Booze: Monument to a Pest & The “See No Weevil”
Back in 1915, the insidious boll weevil decimated the cotton crops of Enterprise, Alabama… and paradoxically paved the way for a stronger local economy. Hear about the monument they erected in thanks, then take a cotton to a drink that celebrates Enterprise’s alternate crop:
“See No Weevil” – a philosophy and a custom cocktail courtesy of Wes Fraser, bartender at Bottletree in Birmingham, AL.
In a shaker add:
- 4 parts Stoli vanilla
- 2 1/2 parts count Creme de Cacao
- Splash of vanilla coconut simple syrup (to taste)
- 1 part Half & Half
Shake and pour over ice. Sprinkle with cottonesque toasted coconut and dust with cinnamon. Raise it high, like Lady Enterprise with her weevil. Go nuts.
Guest of Honor: Christian Lander
Christian Lander’s satirical blog “Stuff White People Like” – a devilishly perceptive catalog of the desires of a certain class of Caucasians — is an internet phenomenon that’s generated two books, the latest being Whiter Shades Of Pale. Lander explains why he’s not racist, how badly he botched the GRE, and why Toronto isn’t as white as you think.
Main Course: Trend Tracker
Brendan dissects emerging food trends with Paula Forbes, associate editor at Eater.com, and finds he’s already ahead of the times.
One For The Road: Toro Y Moi – “Leave Everywhere”
One man electro-pop band Chazwick Bundick goes by the moniker Toro y Moi. He’s releasing advance tracks off his forthcoming album, but we’re still grooving to his summer single “Leave Everywhere.” It’s perfect for traveling home for the holidays…or Festivus…or really, for any reason.
Music On This Week’s Show:
Sea & Cake – “The Argument”
The Wedding Present – “Signal”
Link Wray – “Jack The Ripper”
Tipsy – “Liquordelic”
Eubie Blake – “Boll Weevil Blues”
Frank Fairfield – “Boll Weevil”
Snow – “Informer”
Toro y Moi – “Leave Everywhere”
