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Characters/Skit Suggestions 3/3/97 Erica Smith writes: Thanks for the opportunity to give some feedback. I have character/skit suggestions, though indirectly. In your original call for submissions, you expressed concern over the changing state of the country, and I'd like to address that. My guess is that PHC listeners are in tune with an alternative cultural current as it is, since we choose to tune in on our radios rather than our televisions. But instead of worrying over the political part of it (Democratic/Republican -- equal satire time) I think you can keep going with addressing the culture at large -- mass media, materialism, the creeping "wants" that become "needs," the $4.25 mochachino frappe at "Warbucks" Coffee. I think the show is at its most brilliant, and most effective, when you hit that nerve. I think this is an issue especially for the under-30 crowd you seem to be concerned with. I'm 25, and am finally snapping out of it and seeing how weird and anesthetizing the culture is. It's affected my generation irrevocably -- mall culture and all the rest of it. You might consider introducing a protagonist who, instead of being an innocent outsider (such as Noir) who suddenly runs into the yuppie crowd, is right there in the trenches as his friends spend hours playing Nintendo and his colleagues bring Schoolhouse Rock lunchboxes to work. Forgive me if you feel you've already covered this territory. I have a few more things:
Erica Smith
Dear Erica ----- To have women protagonists, we need women writers. Sandy Beach and Natalie Dressed and Sara Bellum and Page Turner have not given us great women characters, so we'll have to look elsewhere. Greg Brown was on the show in January and will be back this season. Soon. I don't know how to deal with mall culture comedically and have almost given up trying. How does one write about boredom convincingly without being boring? Not possible. But maybe I'm wrong. Thanks for the note. GK
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Old Sweet Songs: A Prairie Home Companion 1974-1976
Lovingly selected from the earliest archives of A Prairie Home Companion, this heirloom collection represents the music from earliest years of the now legendary show: 1974–1976. With songs and tunes from jazz pianist Butch Thompson, mandolin maestro Peter Ostroushko, Dakota Dave Hull and the first house band, The Powdermilk Biscuit Band (Adam Granger, Bob Douglas and Mary DuShane).
