This piece has everything a public radio listener requires: humor, information, and inventiveness in its presentation. Imagine you are stalled in traffic, stewing because your life is one long traffic jam. But you're tuned to your local public radio station so at least you are being informed and entertained. At five minutes before the top of the hour out of the radio comes lots of brass, applause, and the words, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to America's favorite game show. It's time to make your phone call to the 14th century." Three contestants have 30 seconds to impart important information to the inhabitants of the 14th century. A satirical spoof on game shows, this piece is funny and in its own quirky way, thoughtful. Now you can sit in traffic and think, "If I could make a 30 second phone call to the 14th century, what would I say them?" And that is what public radio does -- it makes you think.
Review of Kasper Hauser: Phone Call to the 14th Century
Deborah Astley
Posted on October 25, 2006 at 07:37 AM
This piece has everything a public radio listener requires: humor, information, and inventiveness in its presentation. Imagine you are stalled in traffic, stewing because your life is one long traffic jam. But you're tuned to your local public radio station so at least you are being informed and entertained. At five minutes before the top of the hour out of the radio comes lots of brass, applause, and the words, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to America's favorite game show. It's time to make your phone call to the 14th century." Three contestants have 30 seconds to impart important information to the inhabitants of the 14th century. A satirical spoof on game shows, this piece is funny and in its own quirky way, thoughtful. Now you can sit in traffic and think, "If I could make a 30 second phone call to the 14th century, what would I say them?" And that is what public radio does -- it makes you think.