Yes, You Can!

Ahoy Maties. Remember how I wrote about interviewing Pamela Anderson and David LaChapelle? It must have been a slow gossip week, because the NY Post ran an excerpt from my blog on Page Six, but misspelled LaChapelle's name and bleeped out the profanities--which made the story considerably less fun.



In any case, I feel obliged to clarify, the interview was for Black Book Magazine.



(It freaks me out: The NY Post didn't try to verify any of that information--at least not with me. I could have totally made it all up. Isn't that terrifying?)



Now, speaking of fun and profanity, commenter Kristy raises an Important Question.



She writes, "I got wind of your radio program (Pop Vultures) and thought it was great. Is there something I can do to try and get my local public radio to subscribe since I am a member?"



Yes, Kristy, there is!



By the way, for any new friends, Pop Vultures is a weekly radio show wherein music geeks in Hollywood, New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, the Twin Cities and beyond get together--over the phone or in-studio--to argue about pop music and everything else--and play the records we're debating. A discussion of Outkast leads us inevitably to T. Rex and, somehow, "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron." Similarly, talk of the Neptunes brings up Jerry Lee Lewis, Run-DMC and Tommy James and the Shondells.



I definitely don't want to be all braggy and crap, but some types of people are saying Pop Vultures is the first NPR show since This American Life to have a unique sound. Actually this one dude from the NY Times Magazine said it's the descendant of This American Life, in part because it sounds nothing like This American Life.



To me, it's kind of like how Quiet Riot descended from Mott the Hoople, but sound nothing like them.



Or, maybe, how peanut butter was conceptually derived from butter, but tastes nothing like it. Or...



Bang your head!



Curiously, the show was conceived by Garrison Keillor and is produced by his radio company and distributed by Minnesota Public Radio. I am the host, writer, and coproducer.



Here's a cool article where people talk about the show.



But ANYWAY. Kristy brings up an interesting issue.



Because our show is unique, some stations need a little encouragement to open their minds to our crazy new-fangled sound. So, Kristy, and anyone else, here's what you do. Email the program director or general mailbag at your local NPR affiliate.



NPR has a station finder to help you locate your local station's website.



We're already on in several great American cities and numerous funky small towns--and will be on XM satellite radio beginning in September. We're especially eager to find homes in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit.



Classical and news stations are probably not interested.



If you need any advice on what to say, remember, it doesn't hurt to mention your subscription! Or, you could say, "Gee, I'd gladly subscribe to KCRW---if you aired Pop Vultures."



KCRW is a lost cause, but it wouldn't hurt to let 'em know what's up!



And, a final note: We're deep into production on our new season and it's so exciting, with crazy music---the episode we just finished features Fantasia Barrino, the Stooges, Mozart, Herman's Hermits, Benny Goodman and "Plastic Ono Band," among others. Plus, we've got several new Vultures in the house from different parts of the country and different generations.



These will become available in the fall.



The old episodes up on the website are so last year.



Love,

Kate