Lindsayism.com

Kid Nation: Color Days

I'm writing about Kid Nation for NY Mag's The Vulture: Kid Nation: 1 Down, 39 to Go

Totally related: This American Life's classic show about summer camp culture. Particularly applicable, the last segment, "Color Days". Also, it's been bothering me for like 10 years so I'm just going to say it: that kid they interviewed in the beginning DID NOT invent saying "woo" during the birthday song. We did that at my camp in 1989. I'm just saying. That kid is lying.

Also, Gabe liveblogged Kid Nation for Huffpo. I never read liveblogs, but this one is good. This show really lends itself to that format.

Also (slight spoiler alert) I have a witness who will, if called to the stand, testify that when the kids were offered a choice of rewards, I said "Another outhouse or a TV!" (It turned out to be another 7 outhouses or a TV.)

see what I did just now?

'This American Life' Finally Famous Enough for Satirical Paper to Make Fun of It.

"I've pitched this story every week for five years." says relieved, triumphant Onion staffer. "I just never stopped believing."

(I love it. Especially the Sarah Vowell part. Jokes that five people get are always the best jokes.)

Happy Famous Day!

* Don't forget to listen to This American Life this weekend because Gabe Delahaye has a thing on there. 

* This video is funny: Will Ferrell in "The Landlord"

OMG: Gabe Delahaye to be on This American Life Next Weekend

330: My Reputation
                           

"Stories about people who discover that what others think of them is not at all what they think of themselves. Gabe Delahaye, for instance, just thought he made a bad first impression. But it turned out that the second, third, and fourth impressions weren't much better. Pictured: an early indication of Gabe's well-earned reputation."

Yay!

Update: more photos of Gabe being mean to that kid.

Episode 1 of This American Life Online Now

Here. (via Fimoculous)

My favorite quote, from the Brand New Band segment: "Hey how ya doin, I'm Chris, I play the guitar, and I like it."

This American Life: The Parody

I listened to this Kasper Hauser This American Life parody podcast on Sunday and it was so funny I actually picked up the phone and called two people and told them to listen. I don't think you'll get it if you don't already listen to TAL, but for the longtime fan it was pitch-perfect. Parody is the funniest form of flattery. (You can listen at that link, download the mp3, or, even better, sign up for the podcast.)

This American Life (TV) Preview/ Review

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the first episode of the TV version of This American Life is already on Showtime OnDemand (so I assume big fans have already seen it?), but this animated preview of a future episode (by Chris Ware, natch) is going around:

(I tried to embed it but it's HUGE! (That's what she said.) So: here.)

I was going to review the first episode, but I don't really "review" things, per se, so I'll just say that (Spoiler Alert: if you don't already listen to This American Life regularly you might want to just wait for the show). But go ahead and order Showtime now and tell them it's because of TAL, because who knows? Maybe that works...

Breaking: This American Life is on Showtime OnDemand Already!!

I just called and ordered Showtime in preparation for March 22nd's premiere of This American Life (the TV version), and discovered that the full first episode is already available on demand. This fact isn't even on the TAL website yet, so I win.

Full review on Monday, because it's Saturday night, but I couldn't wait to share the news (hint: *****) Order Showtime! They also have Saw II right now if that's your thing.

Kind of Switching Over to Team Karen Anyway...

* Now that Extras is over, time to cancel HBO and order Showtime in time for the TV version of This American Life (premieres March 22). Here's a trailer.
Also, The Sound of Young America's Jesse Thorn interviewed TAL Senior Producer Nancy Snyder about both the radio and TV shows earlier this month.

* Team Pam vs Team Karen: after an impressive run, Claire and Steve have decided they're too busy to help the people of the world declare their allegiance to one of Jim Halpert's love interests through t-shirts, but there are still shirts left in every size: get 'em before they're gone.

from wbez in chicago...

My post today on Jane's Music + Celebs blog: Finally, This American Life Offers a Free Podcast (starting today.)

Another great podcast: The Sound of Young America (and this week's show features the always-aforementioned John Hodgman and Jonathan Coulton.)

who needs cable?

This article announcing the birth of Tina Fey's new daughter mentions that she's working on a script for Paramount called Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill, which tells the true story of a Hasidic man who starts a rock band in Williamsburg. This American Life listeners probably remember the story from an episode called "My Experimental Phase." It's an amazing story. You can listen for free here.

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea vs. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out = Vietnam

Kittenpants invented a new game: iPOD WAR.

I would like to play this, if only there was some way of removing Total Eclipse of the Heart from my iPOD (without erasing it, of course.) Wait, what am I talking about? TEOTH is the Greatest Pop Song of All Time. Nevermind.

Since I'm already engaging in Blogger Cheese by acknowledging the existence of iPODS, I'll go ahead and mention my main use for it lately when I'm out and about - I signed up for an Audible.com subscription a few months ago and have been enjoying my 1 book and 4 episodes of This American Life per month. In addition, I got $100 off my iPOD at Amazon.com just for signing up for Audible (my old one broke). Total cost with overnight shipping = $204. (If this sounds like a commercial for Audible, it's not. I've never had any contact with anyone there.)

I've learned that the only downside to listening to audiobooks and radio on your iPOD is this:

Nothing kills a party like a shuffle-set iPOD suddenly blasting the 4th chapter of "Freakonomics" instead of music.

.

Talk To Me Party!

This is the kind of thing that I go completely NUTS over. This girl named Liz and this guy named Bill go around with a sign that says "Talk To Me," and they just wait for strangers to come up and talk to them. I first heard about them on this episode of This American Life.

Then, a couple months ago, I was leaving my office on 57th street when I saw them sitting there with their sign. I ran up and talked to them, and signed their guestbook with my email address. So just now I got an invite to their next Talk To Me party for people who have come up and talked to them. Apparently, over 700 people went to the last one! I love this. Anyways, info:
Talk To Me Party
Saturday, Oct. 2nd
1pm
Bryant Park
And
this is their website.

Victoria Gotti has a reality show and these people don't?

little things.

*The author of my favorite book of 2004 , Tom Perrotta, will be reading at tomorrow's Little Gray Books Lecture, along with This American Life's Starlee Kine.

*Thursday Block Magazine is having a "Rock 'n Roll Fashion Show" at Club Europa in Wiliamsburg, featuring the fashion of Brooklyn designers, a performance by The Fame, and more. $2 Reingold and Original Sin cider all night.

*My (awesome) new roommate Niki has started a blog! The three of us are like a reality show or something.

*Thank god he's back. I was dying. (Your turn, stereogum!)

It's Friday, I'm In Love

*My friend Stephanie has a website now called Drinking Stiff ("Stiff" is one of her nicknames, along with my special nickname for her, "Private Dancer") There's a funny thing up there called the "Parent's Worst Nightmare Interview Series". First in the series is "Kid Out Of Wedlock vs. Gay"

*I found this really old really funny article from ReadyMade Magazine: "How To Seem Smarter"

*I'm really excited about the next Little Gray Books Lecture, because it will feature readings by Starlee Kine of This American Life, and Tom Perrotta, who is basically my favorite working fiction writer right now. Ten thousand of his literary babies I want to have.

*There was apparently a very fun party last night at the Slipper Room that I was going to go to, but after happy hour with coworkers I put myself down for "a little nap" at 8:30. Bad idea jeans. I was awakened every five minutes by Sweet Home Alabama (yes, that's what my phone plays, and you thought it would be Bittersweet Symphony, didn't you? didn't you?) as the people I'd talked into going to the party angrily demanded to know where I was. Julie the Coworker called to get directions and in my halfasleepness I said "Stanton and Ostrich. Ostrich. Ostrard. Orch. Orchard. Stanton and Orchard." So this morning I was awake by 6, hence this early-for-me posting.

*Date My Friend #2: Bryan The Hottie, will be coming on Monday, for sure! So hot girls take pictures of yourselves over the weekend in preparation.