I really like this show on Public Radio International called "The World." It does really off-beat stories and I beat off and they do stories like on the British Marine Forecast that are really cool and quirky and I'm quirky, or like today's, an interview with an Iraqi war veteran named Alex Horton who has a blog or website or something and who is really into movies. Alex Horton wrote on his site about how much he liked Robin Williams and was recalling some favorite scenes and a guy began corresponding with him who liked Robin Williams too. Common enough occurrence. The guy, however, turned out to be an ISIS supporter in Iraq, a legit ISIS guy AND a legit Robin Williams fan. NOT a common occurrence. This was right up "The World's" alley and so they arranged an interview by host, Marco Werman. Werman has a great radio voice and is a very good interviewer. I like him a lot.
You know how interviewers try to ask "And the moral of the story is?" questions, they try to make a larger point, try to imbue a cool, quirky story with Meaning, how they can't leave cool and quirky alone? Marco Werman did that today, it sounded like against his better instincts because he prefaced his question with "I almost want to ask"--No, you don't!--and appended his question with "Am I fishing too far out there?"--Yes, Yes!--because the question Marco Werman asked Alex Horton was
"Could the conflict in Iraq come to an end through an appreciation of Robin Williams?"
"You're fishing too far out there," Alex Horton.
*Marco Werman wasn't rowing his fishing boat with both oars in the water when he asked that question. That is the dumbest question in the history of questions. It's hard to believe. When I originally posted this Tuesday night, there was no doubt in my mind that I heard it correctly, but it was so stupid I wondered if I missed a chuckle or something that would indicate Werman wasn't being serious. Instant replay wasn't available Tuesday night but it is now! Here's the link, the record-setting question begins at 3:49. http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-08-19/american-veteran-and-jihadi-bond-over-robin-williams
-Updated Aug. 2, 1:21 am.
You know how interviewers try to ask "And the moral of the story is?" questions, they try to make a larger point, try to imbue a cool, quirky story with Meaning, how they can't leave cool and quirky alone? Marco Werman did that today, it sounded like against his better instincts because he prefaced his question with "I almost want to ask"--No, you don't!--and appended his question with "Am I fishing too far out there?"--Yes, Yes!--because the question Marco Werman asked Alex Horton was
"Could the conflict in Iraq come to an end through an appreciation of Robin Williams?"
"You're fishing too far out there," Alex Horton.
*Marco Werman wasn't rowing his fishing boat with both oars in the water when he asked that question. That is the dumbest question in the history of questions. It's hard to believe. When I originally posted this Tuesday night, there was no doubt in my mind that I heard it correctly, but it was so stupid I wondered if I missed a chuckle or something that would indicate Werman wasn't being serious. Instant replay wasn't available Tuesday night but it is now! Here's the link, the record-setting question begins at 3:49. http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-08-19/american-veteran-and-jihadi-bond-over-robin-williams
-Updated Aug. 2, 1:21 am.
