(April) Who I'm Not Interviewing Part 4

Submitted by aprilbaer on July 27, 2007 - 7:53am. ::

Finish line in sight! The last days are like an avalanche of last-minute ideas & questions. Here are the last two contenders I checked out:

What makes a great nose? Chris Tsefalas could certainly tell me. For years he worked for the perfume industry in Paris. Now he runs a shop in Portland--modest on the outside, but the interior's a glittering fragrant wonderland.

Rumor has it Tsefalas is one of the top five noses in the world! My extensive network of sources cannot confirm this, but I think it would be a gas to put him to the test. BUT..... logistics again! He's not available for my window of opportunity. He's too busy with his new product--a scent formulated for Napoleon & Josephine. I'm telling you, this one would practically write itself.

I also talked Melanie and James, brother and sister. She's a lefty progressive. He just finished serving with the Army Reserve in Iraq. They told me this great story about going bowling after a family funeral, and while there, getting into an argument about Gitmo. More scheduling problems on this one--Mel's home with a baby all day and her brother lives in Michigan.

The decision's been really tough-- I could have easily gone with any one of the five interviews I've written about this week. But there are nearly infinite choices to make in any radio situation. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they navigate these choices. I know I need someone fun, but I don't want to throw content out the window. I've decided to bring on someone I know to be really funny, and very topical, who's deep into a subject that no one I know really LIKES to think about. It's sticky, but I think it'll be worth your time.

So now all we have to do is wait til August 6th, when the entries are posted. Want to go grab some ice cream?

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Lefty Girl and Brother
Submitted by Robb Mitchell on July 27, 2007 - 12:37pm.

I think it is important in these debates to avoid he stereotype red state blue state dictomies and polarizations and seek to go a little deeper than a emotionally charged argument about Gitmo. Maybe the interview would by nature take them deeper but, on the premise you described, the topic is aimed at the smoldering emotional confrontation suitable to talk radio or cable TV screaming matches.

We've had enough. Media too often frames discussion and argument for the purpose of creating public sensations and confrontational drama. We don't need any more Colbert Reports or screaming matches between Ann Coulter and Rosie O'Donnell.

Even if you took the same brother and sister and talked about basic American values like habeas corpus or other constitutionally enshrined principles written in the Bill of Rights and such, you might avoid the pitfalls of the idiotic and moronic debates we too often have to listen to between the right and left.

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Yeah, that's exactly it
Submitted by aprilbaer on July 28, 2007 - 12:16pm.

Yeah, Robb, when i finally got both of them on the phone together to pre-interview, it was pretty clear they still don't agree on a lot. What interests me about them is how they manage to maintain a relationship with each other while holding these different viewpoints on what is, in a very immediate way--a matter of life & death. I mean, we all have relatives we disagree with.
And Rebecca, you're dead-on. Mel & James' situation's a little different than arguing with your cranky uncle Al. They're very close in age, and kind of acted as allies growing up. I think it makes their disagreement and willingness to work around it a bit more intriguing.

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Siblings
Submitted by rebecca on July 27, 2007 - 1:46pm.

I see what you're saying, Robb, but I have to say I think it'd be an intriguing interview since it wouldn't just be Ann Coulter and Rosie O'Donnell screaming at one another -- presumably it would have a much more interesting, deeper meaning because these would be two people who would still love and respect one another. Plus, there are the questions on how two people were raised in probably the same household but ended up on opposite ends of the spectrum. That's a question that has always intrigued me, since one of my brothers holds very, very different political opinions than me.

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Love your level of
Submitted by Wendy Allyn on July 27, 2007 - 8:01am.

Love your level of connectedness -- illustrating your decisions! Great work April. Hope you can join us for a min or two today -- Jim Barfuss is coming to GR today to do my show with me.

Oh, & no thanks. No ice cream OR cream in the coffee on radio day! Smile.

Until Again, -W.

Hope y'all can join me for some music fun on my weekly show. www.wyce.org Fridays 3-6pm ET

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