I?ll gladly confess a personal prejudice here: I think I?ve spent more time laughing out loud listening to Bob & Ray than I have to any other comedians. The dry wit and casual surrealism of Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding blasted the imaginations of countless radio listeners for more than a generation. Sophisticated and timeless, The Lost Episodes is an infectious collection of comedy that belongs on any station that celebrates radio drama.
From the get-go, THE LOST EPISODES are a treasure. I start off by saying I have always loved Bob and Ray -- I memorized one of their albums in my youth and can still quote verbatim at length.
But there is brilliance here we can't even know these days -- the closest, perhaps, was Elmo's appearance a year or so ago on WAIT WAIT, when Elmo suddenly interrupted his voice. One of the exquisite things about B&R were their multiple roles in the likes of their Mary Backstage stories and how they'd skip from role to role with the ease of square dancers.
The glory of Bob and Ray to my ear -- old or young -- is their capacity for nonchalant surprise. They aren't interested in dazzling us -- I doubt they ever did overdubs, for example -- but each piece is a muzzled tour de force. For those enamored by the recent pursuit of the likes of irony, Bob and Ray are delivering like goods from the Irony Age.
Fans of John Hodgman will appreciate his succour upon the fumes of Bob and Ray's tailpipe. The resident authority chose his inspirations brilliantly.
I love listening to these older radio programs-- I'm a younger guy and these programs really bring comedy storytelling to life. it's just not done like this anymore.
Comments for Bob & Ray THE LOST EPISODES Program 1
This piece belongs to the series "Bob & Ray THE LOST EPISODES featuring "Classic Bob & Ray""
Produced by Larry Josephson, Executive Producer & Project Director
Other pieces by RadioArt(r)
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3 comments
Joseph Dougherty
Posted on December 30, 2006 at 03:37 PM | Permalink
Review of Bob & Ray THE LOST EPISODES Program 1
I?ll gladly confess a personal prejudice here: I think I?ve spent more time laughing out loud listening to Bob & Ray than I have to any other comedians. The dry wit and casual surrealism of Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding blasted the imaginations of countless radio listeners for more than a generation. Sophisticated and timeless, The Lost Episodes is an infectious collection of comedy that belongs on any station that celebrates radio drama.
Jackson Braider
Posted on February 10, 2008 at 05:13 PM | Permalink
Review of Bob & Ray THE LOST EPISODES Program 1
From the get-go, THE LOST EPISODES are a treasure. I start off by saying I have always loved Bob and Ray -- I memorized one of their albums in my youth and can still quote verbatim at length.
But there is brilliance here we can't even know these days -- the closest, perhaps, was Elmo's appearance a year or so ago on WAIT WAIT, when Elmo suddenly interrupted his voice. One of the exquisite things about B&R were their multiple roles in the likes of their Mary Backstage stories and how they'd skip from role to role with the ease of square dancers.
The glory of Bob and Ray to my ear -- old or young -- is their capacity for nonchalant surprise. They aren't interested in dazzling us -- I doubt they ever did overdubs, for example -- but each piece is a muzzled tour de force. For those enamored by the recent pursuit of the likes of irony, Bob and Ray are delivering like goods from the Irony Age.
Fans of John Hodgman will appreciate his succour upon the fumes of Bob and Ray's tailpipe. The resident authority chose his inspirations brilliantly.
Rick Blauw
Posted on February 10, 2008 at 10:49 AM | Permalink
Review of Bob & Ray THE LOST EPISODES Program 1
I love listening to these older radio programs-- I'm a younger guy and these programs really bring comedy storytelling to life. it's just not done like this anymore.