Small-Town Joe

Nice idea, but you should have gone to a diner and done a short demo.

Congrats, Randall! Great idea and solid presentation. As a small traveling businessman from the midwest, I've witnessed and overheard some amazing conversations from all walks of life while dining on my morning oatmeal with brown sugar. Look forward to hearing on NPR...contact me and I'll send you my top 10 list of hometown diners that will be sure to entertain.

Joe,
I found you off of Sarah Neal's entry. She led me in the right direction. I love your idea. Great description, too.
Theresa

This is an interesting idea. I tend to spend quite a lot of time in diners in small towns while I'm traveling and while there are often some honest discussions that deal with real-world consequences to global issues, I've just as often been shocked and horrified at the sexist/racist rhetoric that comes casually out of their mouths! Personally, I'll take the "yellow dog" with the Al Gore sticker, at least s(he) had their head screwed on right in the first place.
This idea could certainly make for engaging/infuriating listens! Good luck to you.
Try mine?

Be Baffled By Bafflegab!-->
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"All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy" - Spike Milligan

I like your voice because it is folksy and articulate at the same time. Your show promises things that I want to believe exist in the local body politic: common sense, integrity and respect.
Break a leg.

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I think this show sounds stellar!

ADQ

Please and Thank You for your Vote:
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Keep on rockin' in the free world.

I good idea delivered well.

Excellent idea, well-presented. Timely, too: Time to get out there and highlight small-town diners before they all disappear beneath a wave of fast-food franchises. Good luck with it!

The majority of America can be found in the small town diners. This would be a great way to listen to see what all the Small-Town Joes had to say. Super idea!

i love it! Cant wait to hear more from the small town round-table

I would love to hear where this series would go. Can't wait.

i love diners, love diner conversations, and love listening to this guy talk.

this would be a radio show worth listening to.

I feel that I, too, can solve all the world's problems when I'm sipping coffee with friends in our Southern diner. It would be good to hear real people across the country solving problems in their own diners. I would definitely listen.

Gosh, Randall, You brought back some good memories. My grandfather, the former mayor of Seymour, Texas, used to meet his buddies at the Rock Inn or the Maverick Cafe every morning for coffee. I'd go with him sometimes and pretend to be a grown up drinking coffee and chewing a toothpick. (Really it was half milk, half coffee and lots of sugar) As a grade-schooler, these men were the wisest I'd known. Looking back, they were probably smarter than most folks will give them credit for. They sure lived incredible lives.

A great idea that works from coast to coast. This is a show I would listen to on a regular basis.

Great concept, Randall! I hope it is better than the TV Reality series.

This is exactly what we need in political discourse--real people, real problems, and real small town hospitality. I'd definitely tune into this program.

Love the idea - your #1 Fan!

This show would be a lot of fun - actually hearing what "real" people have to say about the issues at the national stage. It'd be a great offset to just hearing from "experts" all the time... like having mini-focus groups right there for all of us to hear. I'd definately tune in. Plus, this guy's got a great voice for radio - would definately be able to hold my attention! An all-around great entry.

I grew up in the rural south where solving the world's problems from a diner stool is a popular pasttime. It will be a hoot! Doug

I think this is a fabulous idea! Having grown up in a small Indiana town, I know that some of the best political and social discourse happens at diners. I would definitely listen to this!

I would love to listen to this program, work for this program, tell people about this program... I think we need this program. You're fabulous, Sarah

It's amazing how much can be learned if you bend an ear to what's being discussed at a local eatery. I'd take a chance on the "real" public debate via this no-nonsense approach.

Having grown up in a small-town in rural Minnesota, living in a metropolitain city and traveled to different parts of the world I think this is a wonderful idea. The talk of "small-town" residents is refreshing, humble and honest. People are straight-forward and give personal testimonies that will touch the hearts of people willing to really listen.

As a regular public radio listener, I would look out for something exactly like this.

As someone stuck in the DC bubble but completely put off by the rampant wonkishness, it would be refreshing to hear what real people--who don't speak like press releases--actually think about the state of the world.

As a girl who grew up in Arkansas, I know all too well the relay-time it takes for news to sift down to the locals. Often news doesn't come through at all, and what does goes through various filters and lenses before ending up across the table from grits and eggs-over-easy.

This idea is refreshing and long overdue. More importantly - for as much as listeners of NPR and people inside the beltway declare themselves open-minded and worldly, they have a frighteningly ignorant misunderstanding of the people who make up the majority of our country.

Hoping this show will entertain DC-ites enough to be willing to learn.

Love it! Take me to the diner.

So simple, touching and personable. Randall Ford's idea is an NPR must-have!

Very entertaining and an excellent blend of world issues and what's really important to the "average Joe" - great job!